Ruby IV: Coordinator
by Silver as the Rain
Summary: Ruby's quest continues into the new region of Hoenn, where new Pokemon await and plenty of new challenges too. Teaming up with Ash and Pikachu once more, along with her trusted friend Charizard and one or two other companions of her own, Ruby braves the new styles of fighting in this entirely new spectrum of competing, making good friends and terrible enemies along the way.
1. Chapter 1

**Long overdue I know, so sorry for making you guys wait but here is the next part in Ruby's adventure, commence operation! :)**

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"Now Ruby, I know things may seem a little strange at the moment, but I promise I will explain." Professor Oak said to me as we poured out the feed for all the Pokémon. I nodded my head and waited patiently, glancing to Latias who was holding onto my shoulder and watching us curiously. "You see, you are what they call an Aura Guardian. There are a rare few of you out there, but you are all able to use your aura in powerful ways. The true extent of your abilities are yet to be discovered."

"Aura Guardian?" I questioned, thinking things over in my head.

"That's right. Other guardians tend to roam the regions keeping the peace between people and Pokémon. There are some very powerful people out there who try to stir things up and they are just some of the few who try to keep things in order." Professor Oak explained so I stood up and dusted off my hands, turning to face him.

"So why were you so intent on me never practicing this aura thing? Why were _you_ so afraid of it?"

"I thought you were too young to understand or even control your gifts, Ruby, but I think you've quite effectively proven me wrong. Your powers go way beyond anything I've ever seen or heard of before, being able to hold off such an intense attack as that Fire Blast proves that." He told me as he too finished up then turned to face me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Ruby, your gifts are still dangerous. You must be extra careful not to push yourself further than you can manage. You can hurt yourself, and other people too."

Hanging my head I nodded, understanding the severity of the situation. "So what can I do?" I asked and Professor Oak chuckled.

"You can go check on the nests whilst I carry on with some work." He said with a smile, patting my shoulder before moving off around me. So I'm an aura guardian. That's quite cool! However, how am I supposed to harness my power without practicing? I think this is going to be a lot harder to control than I initially thought.

Shaking my head I went out into the backyard and was instantly swarmed with Pokémon, crowding around and calling out as they tried to lick my face, making me giggle. "Hey you guys! I am not your lunch, stop that! Ivysaur that tickles! Arcanine, I'm not your play toy, Muk NO!"

"Muk!" Our friendly and affectionate friend beamed before falling on top of me, consuming me with his sludgy body. "Muuuk!"

"Muk get off me!" I laughed. "I know you like me but I need to breathe!"

"How about I help you out of there?" Gary suggested and instantly I craned my neck upwards to see him standing in the sunlight, smirking down at me. Great. He just has impeccable timing for finding me in tight spots.

"I totally got it." I answered stubbornly and tried to pull myself out from under Muk but he merely smothered me more, laughing and smiling as I gave up then held out a hand, grumpily turning my head away as Gary chuckled then grabbed my offered hand and pulled with all his might, dragging me out from underneath Muk with the help of Ivysaur and some of the other Pokémon.

I slid out from underneath Muk but with the sudden release of pressure, I flew forwards and collided into Gary, making us both yelp and tumble to the ground though Ivysaur quickly caught us, wrapping us both tightly together in his vines then lifted us into the air safely.

"Saur! Saur! Ivysaur!" He cheered as I felt my chest being tightly pressed up against Gary's, our arms locked to our sides as we blinked at one another.

"Well this is awkward." I stated bluntly, clearing my throat then looked away to hide my blush. "Um…Ivysaur? You can let us down now buddy." I told him so he lowered us back down and let his vines shoot back into his bulb where I instantly took a deep breath, feeling the freedom for my lungs before it was taken away again by a bone crushing hug from a rather emotional Machoke.

"Machoke! Ma!"

"Machoke…I like you…too…but I can't…breathe…" I wheezed, clenching my fists and closing my eyes tightly as Machoke cried into my hair, glad to see me okay but didn't realise the extent of its strength.

"Let her go now Machoke, I think she gets the message." Gary said, patting Machoke's shoulder so it instantly let go, allowing me to breathe again. "You okay?" Gary asked as he helped me to my feet.

"I'm good. Happens all the time." I waved away then straightened my hat and neckerchief. "When did you get back?"

"Just now. How are things here?" He asked then looked around, seeing how there was a new flower garden in full bloom and all the Pokémon were looking happy and healthy. "It looks great."

"Yeah. The flower garden was my suggestion. It helps keep the peace between the grass and water Pokémon, seeing as they like to spend their time with the flowers rather than fighting over territory." I explained. "I was heading over to the lake to check on the nests. Want to come?"

"Sure." He nodded his head and followed my lead. I noticed a couple of squabbling Pokémon so I broke them apart then saw they were fighting over an apple, so I pulled another one from my supplies sack and then they were both happy. "You seem to be right at home here." Gary noted as we stopped again for me to check on a bandaged Poliwag tail.

"Of course. I love all the Pokémon here and I spend most of my time with them." I said with a smile. "Seeing as my parents are away so much, there's little else I can do."

"They still out in Hoenn?" Gary asked as we walked and I nodded my head.

"To be honest, I think they might be thinking about moving out there. Mom likes it a lot and dad's work keeps him there pretty much all the time." Gary looked at me quickly with a sharp expression.

"Leave Kanto? You can't do that Rubes." He told me almost fiercely and I blinked at him.

"Why not? If my parents decide that's where they want to go then I'll have to go with them." But Gary shook his head.

"Grandpa needs you here. You're great for the Pokémon and if you move, then I won't get to see you as often." He's worried about not seeing me again? Well that's…kind of sweet. Dang it, he's making me blush!

"Wow Gary, it almost sounds like you care." I said jokingly so he gave a shrug.

"I like to at least consider us friends." He answered before looking ahead. "Is this the place?" I looked around and blinked, not realising that we'd arrived at the lake.

"Yup. This is it. The water Pokémon all start to build their nests this time of year so that they can claim their little plot of territory to raise their young and keep their eggs as warm as possible." I explained, pointed to a cluster of reeds. "You see?" Gary craned his neck then smiled, spotting the nest.

"Yeah you're right. You sure know a lot Rubes." I gave a proud smirk, taking off my hat and pulled off the headscarf I wore to cool down a little. It was really quite hot today, I'm going completely red in the face.

"I like to think so. Come on, I want to show you something." I said then crept along the bank, found a particular spot then parted the tall grass to reveal a large nest where Vaporeon was curled up in a ball as she slept, her tail curled around two brown eggs with a cream coloured stripe running around the middle.

"No!" Gary breathed in awe. "Those are the eggs!"

"Uh huh. Why don't you let Umbreon out? I'm sure he'd like to see." I suggested as Vaporeon lifted her head and smiled at me as I crawled carefully closer then stroked her head.

"Right. Umbreon, I think you should see this." Gary said and let Umbreon out of his Pokéball. Umbreon instantly lifted his head and noticed Vaporeon, who called out to him and he bounded over in one leap, smiling warmly as he licked her face then began to sniff the twin eggs, proudly sitting beside Vaporeon who stretched out a little then nuzzled her head against his chest, getting comfortable before going back to sleep again.

We watched them together for a moment, enjoying seeing the family together until Gary finally spoke. "I'm going back out on a journey soon."

"What? When? Where?" I demanded to know. "You only got back a few minutes ago!"

"Not right now, but soon." Gary amended with a smirk. "You're not getting rid of me that easy. Come on, let's go check on the other nests and leave these two to talk." He said, standing up then began to walk away, hands tucked into his pockets and I blinked before following after him.

I made checks on all the Pokémon we could find, making sure they were healthy and that the eggs were okay however the wild Pokémon didn't let us get too close, so we had to be careful. I let Latias out for some flying and she helped me get a little closer to the wild Pokémon, as she would be allowed to fly over the nests and report back to me if she found anything out of the ordinary.

Satisfied everything was alright, Gary and I head back to the lab. "So where will you go?" I asked and he took a deep breath before shrugging and looking up at the sky.

"I don't know. I just know I have to keep moving." I gave a little smile of understanding.

"Once you set out, it's hard to settle back down again." I said with a nod of my head. "I get that."

"You do?" Gary said in surprise. "I thought you were more of a home bird yourself. You always seem to settle right back in almost straight away."

"True, but I love travelling." I told him simply. "I love going out there and meeting new Pokémon, learning new things and also making memories. You should see my photo albums, I've filled four of them already." Giving a little chuckle to myself I looked up at Latias as she soared over our heads, playfully looping and gliding over the water to skim the surface gracefully.

"Your Latias is growing up fast. It's already a great flier." Gary noted to me as Latias flew over to me and hovered before us, giving a smile and a call for us to hurry up with our chores so we could go and play.

Gary and I made our way back to the lab and found Professor Oak and Tracey pouring over some papers and trying to document them all. "Ah! Gary! Welcome home." His grandpa looked up with a smile as he heard us enter.

"Hi grandpa. How's it going?" He asked as I walked on in, only to be body slammed by Ivysaur.

"Ivysaur!" He cheered then began to lick my face as I laughed.

"Yes I'm glad to see you too! I've only been gone a few minutes." I giggled as he began to lick my face.

"Well Ivysaur seems to think it was far longer." Professor Oak chuckled as I managed to sit up, Latias having managed to lift Ivysaur off of me, having grown quite a bit since I parted ways with Ash and the gang. She was now too big to hold in my arms, but that didn't stop her flying into me for a hug at any given time. "I'm glad your home Gary, how about we go for dinner in your favourite restaurant later? I'll make reservations." He suggested and Gary smiled with a nod of his head.

"Sounds great grandpa."

"Ruby and Tracey, you two can come as well if you like?" The offer hung in the air and I looked up from fussing over Ivysaur in surprise. However Tracey answered before me, politely declining the offer.

"I'll stay here and make sure the Pokémon are all okay. Besides, I need to try and get this work done by tomorrow." He told me then turned a knowing look on me. "But I'm sure Ruby will be more than happy to go. Right Ruby?"

"I…uh…huh?"

"Excellent! I'll book us a table. You should go and see your mother Gary, I know she'll love to hear all about your adventures." The professor suggested and Gary nodded his head.

"You're right. I'll see you later. Rubes." He finished with a smirk before walking out the door and leaving me still blinking in surprise.

"Saur?" Ivysaur nudged me so I shook myself out of it.

"I'm good." I smiled then kissed the top of his head. "Come on, how about we go to the hill for some fun?" I suggested to him and Latias and they both instantly jumped up with excitement, calling out and nodding their heads eagerly. "Okay then, let's go!"

"Make sure you're back by six! That's when I've booked the table." Professor Oak called after me as I ran out. Dinner with the professor, Gary and probably his mom. Sure, I can handle that. Plus the only decent restaurant in Pallet Town is a Pizza place, so that's all good.

"Sure thing professor!" I waved a hand behind me and raced out the door. Ivysaur and Latias chased after me all the way to the hill where we stood and gazed down on all of Pallet Town. I took a deep gulp of breath then yelled at the top of my lungs, spreading out my hands. "I'M QUEEN OF THE WORLD!" My voice echoed over the hills and I giggled as Ivysaur and Latias both copied me, letting their voices sing out also until there was once again silence. "Awesome. I'll race you down!" I called then flung myself forwards, rolling down the grassy slope with uncontrollable laughter as Ivysaur raced after me and Latias flew, both of them laughing also until finally we landed in a heap at the bottom, both my Pokémon using me as a cushion as I drew them to me and hugged them. "That was fun!" I giggled to them both. "Again?"

"Saur!"

"Latias!" They both nodded their heads so we raced back up the hill and rolled down again, doing this over and over until I was finally exhausted, making it back to the top one last time before collapsing and looking up at the sky.

"Ooh look at that one." I gasped, pointing up and both Pokémon turned to see the cloud I was pointing at. "It looks like a flower."

"Ivysaur." He nodded his head in agreement then curled up beside me for a nap and Latias did the same. Resting her head on my chest then closed her eyes, so I let them sleep for a moment. I watched the clouds as they rolled past, fluffy, white and perfect as I tried to make shapes out of them.

After a while I too closed my eyes and almost fell asleep, though I was still aware of my surroundings. We all rested there for a long time until I heard someone climbing up the hill. "Grandpa said I'd find you up here." Gary announced, making me groan slightly as I tried to remain in my own little sleep bubble. "Rubes? Are you asleep?"

"Not anymore." I answered, rubbing my eyes then put my hands behind my head as I tried to sit up but there wasn't anything to lean against and I didn't want to disturb Ivysaur and Latias, so I was just moving to lay back down when Gary sat down right behind me.

"Here, you can lean against me." He said simply, as if it were perfectly normal for us to sit so close together. When he casually placed his arms around me I felt my face go deep red, steam practically coming out my ears as my pulse quickened. Stupid Gary. "Have you been up here all afternoon?"

"No! Well…maybe." I corrected with a deep blush as Gary shifted a little closer and rested his chin lazily over my shoulder, making me squeak slightly in response before I gulped. Snap out of it Ruby, at least _try_ and act normal. "How's your mom?"

"She's okay. Glad to have me back. She's actually really looking forward to meeting you properly." He told me and I blinked in surprise.

"I've met your mom before. We did go to school together for the first ten years of our lives, remember?" I reminded him and he rolled his eyes.

"I know that, I meant face to face. You've never actually officially met." He pointed out and I realised this was true. I'd seen Gary's mom around for fairs, school plays and things like that but we've never actually spoken. "So are you going to go change or something before we go?" He asked me.

"Change?" In answer he swiped gently at my hat, knocking it down over my eyes.

"Have you looked at yourself recently?" I jerked my elbow and jabbed him in the gut with a smirk.

"Hey! I know I look scruffy, but that's how I like it." I defended simply then rested my hands on both my Pokémon. "And I always end up looking messy with all the work I do, so why bother trying to look presentable in the first place." Gary chuckled.

"Good point. It's up to you I guess." Though maybe he did have a point as well. I was covered in grass, dirt and I was pretty sure I had a nest in my hair. "Well, we'd better get going if we're going to be there on time." He said so I sighed then gently woke my Pokémon.

"Come on guys, time to go. Ivysaur return, I'll drop you off at the lab. You too Latias. I'll see you guys later, okay?" I smiled and they both nodded their heads before crowding closer for a hug, which I readily gave them both before returning them to their Pokéballs.

Gary stood up then grabbed me under the arms and lifted me up to me feet as I yelped. "I'll see you there, okay?" He said to me then turned and walked away leisurely, hands tucked into his pockets as he went in the opposite direction I needed to go. I watched him for a moment, holding my arm tenderly then gave a little smile.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two here, enjoy ;)**

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"Ah Ruby! There you are. We were starting to think you'd gotten lost." Professor Oak said with a chuckle as he noticed me walk into the restaurant. I blushed a little, feeling totally awkward as I did my best to smile though my hands felt clammy and I had to clench them tightly behind my back to keep them from shaking too obviously.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to stop and get something before coming here." I told them then walked over to the table as Gary turned around and glanced at me. He did a double take, shocked to see that I was actually wearing a skirt and my hair was pulled back into a neat plait with a little red ribbon at the end.

"You know Gary's mother don't you? Emily, this is Ruby. She and Gary were at school together as kids." A stern looking woman turned to look at me and I instantly gulped. I'd forgotten how much she had scared me as a kid, though she wasn't as tall as she used to seem. Probably because I was taller.

She had thin lips and hair streaked with grey, though her eyes did twinkle periwinkle blue. Mrs Oak gave me a scrutinising look and I was instantly glad I had chosen to wash and change before coming here, otherwise I know she'd have been very unimpressed.

Suddenly she smiled and a warmth came to her face, making her seem much less like a statue and more like a cuddly teddy bear. The dramatic change was astonishing. "My, you've certainly grown up since I last saw you, though I've heard a lot about you. Gary can't seem to stop talking about you."

"Mom!" Gary hissed quickly. "I don't' talk about her _all_ the time. Just occasionally." He tried to defend so I smiled then looked to Emily who winked at me and I couldn't help but grin my biggest grin in return. Everything was smooth sailing from there on. Emily was much like Ash's mom, kind, caring and very sweet.

We ordered our pizza, talked about everything and anything though Emily seemed to always keep everyone involved in the conversation, not allowing me to just sit in the corner and got me to talk all about my adventures and my Pokémon which she took an interest in though never having made a journey herself as a kid. She left that all to Gary's dad, who was away at the moment working for the government.

"Don't you miss him?" I asked Gary who shrugged.

"Not as much as I used to. I guess I just got used to him not being around." I blinked at him. He hadn't seen his dad for a few years now, similar to Ash's dad, however it seemed my parents were now taking a similar route. I'd hadn't seen them in a year. Would they miss my birthday?

"Don't worry Ruby, I'm sure your parents will come home soon." Emily said to me gently, patting my shoulder. "After all, it will be your birthday soon and I doubt they'll want to miss that." Her comforting words made me smile, though it was a little disconcerting how she seemed to read my mind like a book. Was I that obvious? "Thirteen is an important number after all." So, feeling a little better, I ate all the pizza I could and then Gary and I shared an ice cream, where we fought over the chocolate cake that nestled at the bottom with all the hot sauce.

As we were walking home I looked up at the sky and saw the moon was full and perfect. "Thank you professor, I really had a great time. Mrs Oak, I'm glad to finally have gotten to know you." I reached out to shake her hand but Emily went ahead and gave me a motherly hug and a kiss, patting my cheek gently.

"You take care now, if you ever get lonely in that big empty house of yours, you're more than welcome to come and stay around our house for some company." She told me. "I'm sure Gary won't mind sleeping on the sofa."

"Hey, she is not getting my room." Gary argued hotly but his mom just gave him a stern glare.

"Guest rights. Remember your manners young man." She reprimanded and I giggled before giving a wave and stepped back.

"I'll be fine, but thanks for the invite. I'll see you all soon!" I called then tossed up a Pokéball. "Pidgeot! Time to go home!" Pidgeot appeared and flew up into the sky then banked around, skimming the ground towards me and I jumped onto her back before rising up into the sky, hearing Professor Oak and Emily chuckling as I went.

Pidgeot took me high up into the sky before diving down and skimming the rooftops before landing in front of my house. "Well that was fun." I said to her, smiling as she lowered her head into my hands and I stroked her face as she smiled. "But I think we could both do with some rest. I'm super tired."

"Pidgeo." She agreed so I let her return before unlocking and going inside. I stood in the darkness for a moment, feeling how cold and empty the house felt before I switched on the light.

"Hi mom, hi dad, I'm home." I called out though I received no reply. I walked over to the mantelpiece where my china statue of a Pidgey and Pidgeotto stood, the gift I'd sent from Johto, along with the case of my Kanto region badges, and now beside it stood my Johto badges.

Picking up a photo of my family I gave a smile before putting it back on the shelf, then took down the one I had taken of the gang, all of us smiling with all of our Pokémon together. We were standing in front of a lake, and Misty was chasing after her Psyduck with an angry look as the rest of us all laughed and I instantly fell back into the memory.

The best times were always moments with the gang, and I missed them already. With a sigh I put the photo back then made my way upstairs, changing in my room into pyjamas then went to bed, however I couldn't help but smirk proudly when I thought of Gary's face of genuine shock when he saw me actually looking like a girl.


	3. Chapter 3

I was up on the hill, minding my own business when Jigglypuff decided it would be funny to plough into me and send me flying. "Jiggly…puff!" She yelled then slammed her head into my back, making me cry out in alarm and go tumbling down the hill. "Jigglypuff!" She cheered then leaped after me, tucking herself up into a ball then rolled down the hill as I continued to yell.

"Jiiggglyyyypuuuuuff!"

"Jiggly!" She answered as I tumbled uncontrollably without any sign of stopping. My body began to hurt from all the rolling, however it was cushioned slightly by the fact the hill was quite soft and grassy.

"Hey look out!" Someone called and without warning, I felt someone grab me but with the force of my descent meant I ploughed into them and we both fell backwards, though when we hit a tree I was protected by the shield of my saviour's body.

"Whoa Jigglypuff!" Ash? Was that you? I looked up and saw Ash hold out his arms to catch Jigglypuff, how he too was flung backwards and hit a tree, holding Jigglypuff in his arms as he grunted.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu called then raced over to Ash, trying to see if he was alright.

"What were you thinking Rubes? Don't you know it's dangerous to roll down _that_ hill? You could have fallen over the cliff over there." Gary said to me, looking down at me as I blinked up at him. Why him? Always him?

"Yeah, but Jigglypuff didn't and she pushed me!" I defended then looked over at her. "You okay Jigglypuff?"

"Jiggly." She said with a nod of her head then leaped out of Ash's arms to march around before us, wagging a cute little arm at the two of us with an indignant puff of her round cheeks. "Jiggly, Jiggly, Jiggly!" It was only then I noticed how close together Gary and I were, and he had his arms around me quite tightly with the other hand resting on my waist. Ah, so that's why she was all riled up. Quickly I leaped to my feet and brushed myself off, taking a few steps back as I gulped and rubbed my flushed neck as I scratched the ground bashfully with my shoe.

"Uh…thanks?" I offered and he rolled his eyes before smirking.

"No problem. You were just lucky Ash and I were here, or you could have been in big trouble. You seem to have bad luck around cliffs, am I right Rubes?"

"No I don't you-! Oh hey Ash, when did you get back?" I asked, only just clocking that he was here as he too stood up, Pikachu springing from his shoulder into my arms with a call, making me laugh happily and snuggle into his tickly fur.

"This morning. I only came out here because Professor Oak told me Gary was leaving." Leaving? Gary? Without telling me?

"Oh really?" I said as I stood up and turned a glare at Gary as Jigglypuff stopped then glared at him as well, watching him as he stood up and shouldered his bag again. "And when were you thinking of telling me? Or even saying goodbye?"

"I couldn't find you." He answered simply. "Nobody knew where you were, stupid."

"I am not stupid! You're a jerk!" I answered back, throwing an accusing finger at him as Pikachu climbed up onto my shoulder and stood up, holding onto my hat as I clenched my other fist tightly. "You can't leave without saying anything, that's just rude!"

"Well maybe if you didn't go running off all the time then it'd be easier to keep track of you!" Gary yelled back however Ash gulped and began to pat the air gently as he looked down at our feet.

"Hey guys, can we tone this down a little?" Ash suggested, pointing to Jigglypuff. "I think Jigglypuff is about ready to use Double Slap on us all." Glancing down at Jigglypuff I realised he was right, so I picked her up and she instantly calmed down, exhaling and her ballooned body deflated as I rubbed my cheek affectionately into her fur, making her smile happily before I sighed and looked back up at Gary, once again calm.

"So you're leaving?"

"Yeah." Gary nodded his head simply. "To Hoenn. I hear there are some new Pokémon that have been discovered there and I want to find out more about them." He told me then smiled with a nod at Ash. "Ashy-boy here still doesn't know what he wants to do, so he's staying here for a while. That right Ash?"

"Yeah. For now anyway." Ash agreed so I relaxed and gave a smile.

"Okay, well take care. If you get eaten by a new kind of Pokémon, don't expect me to come and rescue you." He smirked and said nothing, giving a little chuckle as he closed his eyes and smiled. Finally he looked up and his eyes rested on the star that I wore, which gave a little gleam in the sunlight.

"See you around." He said finally before turning and walking away. I watched him go, eventually giving a deep exhale as his back continued to shrink. He was gone again so soon, it left me feeling a little disappointed to be honest, I was hoping to see a little more of him at the very least. Turning I looked at Ash who had begun to walk towards one of the trees, looking quite dejected and unsure so I glanced to Pikachu who looked at me.

"Pika…?"

"I don't now Pikachu. How about we go find out what's wrong?" I suggested then climbed up the same tree Ash had chosen. "Hey genius, move over a little." I said to him and he shifted up along the branch, Pikachu jumping across to sit on his other side as I settled on the tree branch, Jigglypuff sitting on my shoulder and holding onto my hat for balance as I took a deep breath then sighed. "Now what's up?"

"Everyone's gone." He told me simply. "I'm not sure I like being alone Ruby. It feels weird somehow." I punched him playfully on the shoulder.

"Hey, I'm still here. Besides, you've got Pikachu and all your other Pokémon. You're not alone." I tried to comfort him but then Pikachu called out all of a sudden, pointing to a cluster of clouds.

"Pika Pi!" We turned to look, seeing a slight golden shimmer until finally a giant bird flew into view, feathers vibrant and dazzling as its massive wings flapped, releasing a trail of shimmering sparkles which had me spellbound in a moment as the rainbow of light dazzled me. We both sat in awed silence before we both gasped, mouths dropping wide open.

"It's Ho-oh!"

"Ho-oh? No way!" I gasped excitedly, hand jumping for my camera but of course, I'd left it behind. "Wow…it's so beautiful." I whispered, gazing after it as we stood up on our branch, watching as it flew off into the distance.

"I know where it's headed. It's going to the Hoenn region." Ash said in a calm voice. "That's where all those Pokémon I've never seen before are, and all of the battles that I'm destined to fight in." I looked at him, seeing a familiar gleam in his eyes as he turned around and faced his buddy. "Are you ready Pikachu?"

"Pika!" They both jumped down from the branch and I followed as Ash clenched a fist.

"I hate to do this to mom, but we can be just like Gary and start a whole new journey too!" He declared and dropped out of the tree, landing in a crouch on the ground then began to run off but I called after him, making him stop and look back. I gave a nod to Jigglypuff and she jumped off into the air, allowing me to fall backwards off the branch then land expertly on my feet on the ground, holding up my arms and catching Jigglypuff neatly.

"Hold up Ash." I said, placing a hand on my hip and gave him a firm look as continued to look at me, blinking in confusion at my serious expression. Finally I smiled and clenched a fist as well, ready to get my feet moving again. "You're not going alone. I'm coming with you to Hoenn, and I'm going to find new ways to become closer to my Pokémon." I walked forwards then stuck out my hand. "So what do you say? You mind me tagging along?"

"Thought you'd never ask!" Ash laughed as he grabbed my hand and shook it once firmly before letting go and grabbed it into a fist lock, his fingers curling around my thumb as we gripped one another's hands tightly, grinning at one another with determined anticipation. "Let's go!" And so together we ran all the way back to see the professor, who was in his living room having some tea with Tracey with an empty sofa before him, almost as if he expected us.

* * *

"Professor. I've decided to go on a new journey too and only take Pikachu with me." Ash announced as he slammed his hands firmly on the table. "I want it to be like the first time I left Pallet Town."

"And the same for me and Charizard." I said with a nod of my head. "My other Pokémon will stay here helping you keep things in order, but I'll take Charizard with me because he was my first Pokémon I ever got, and I too want to find new Pokémon and learn how to bond with them differently to how I've bonded with the Pokémon I captured here." I paused for a moment. "But I'll take Latias with me too. She's still a little too young to be on her own yet."

"Well I'm not surprised." Professor Oak admitted calmly. "You want to go to the Hoenn region, right?"

"Yeah, we figured we could stop in Littleroot Town and meet Professor Birch first." Ash said as we stood side by side and Tracey lifted his head.

"Professor Birch is famous for his Pokémon fieldwork research. That's a great idea to stop by and meet him."

"Yeah." We both agreed at the same time just as Delia walked into the living room, holding something in her arms as Mr Mime followed her inside.

"Ash!" She trilled brightly and we both turned to look at her. "New clothes and a new backpack! I bought them for you because I was sure this would happen." She told him as Ash walked up to her. "You see how a mother can _always_ tell what her child is thinking? This is a present from me to help you on your journey!"

"Thanks mom." Ash said sincerely, smiling up at her as she then lifted two envelopes.

"And these are your tickets for the ferry to the Hoenn region which leaves from Sea-foam Island. Ruby, I got you some new clothes too!" I blinked then walked forwards, looking to see another set of clothes underneath Ash's as well as a new backpack. "I thought you could do with a little parting gift too, Mrs Oak helped me choose. I think she had your style already mapped out the moment she first met you. Take a look."

In silent shock I reached out and took the clothes gently, looking them over with wide eyes. There was a new red tank top, as well as a dark brown jacket with no sleeves, just various useful pockets. With it came a pair of black shorts which came about hallway down my thigh modestly, and there was also the new backpack as well. One that was large yet easy to carry, only a little bigger than Ash's.

"Mrs Ketchum…I don't know what to say. Thank you." I said to her with a smile as she beamed down at me sweetly, reaching out and rubbing my cheek affectionately.

"Anything for my favourite girl! Now you make sure you take care of my Ash, keep him out of trouble and make sure he remembers to change his you-know-whats!" I giggled as Ash protested, going bright red as I lifted a hand then winked, giving a thumb's up to Delia as she too giggled.

"You got it." I nodded my head surely then looked to Professor Oak as he handed us both new Pokédex's which I took and flipped open to check it out.

"These are the latest state of the art Pokédex for you both. It's preloaded with information on all the Pokémon in the Hoenn region.

"Thanks Professor! Thank you mom." Ash said as I echoed him, though I called his mom Delia as Tracey lay a hand on each of our shoulder's, smiling at us warmly.

"And you can count on me to look after your Pokémon for you both, they'll be fine with me." He assured us and I nodded my head, knowing that this was true. All I had to do now was go and tell them what was happening. This was all happening so fast, I hope they won't feel bad about me leaving them so suddenly.

I walked back to the lab and called out all of my Pokémon in the yard, turning to face them though Vaporeon and Dragonair were at the lake so I lead everyone over and called out for them. Umbreon stayed with the eggs, allowing Vaporeon to rush over to me and tackle me with a hug and a series of licks as Dragonair glided out of the water, appearing with a dazzling spray of water before she too bowed her head to nuzzle me.

"Hey there Vaporeon! I hope you've been okay. You too Dragonair." I said to her, giggling before standing up. "Listen up everyone, I've got something really important to tell you." I said and they all lifted their heads, signalling they were listening. "I'm going on another journey to the Hoenn region, only this time I'm only bringing Latias and Charizard with me." There was a mixed reaction.

Latias flew for joy whilst several of the others, mainly Scyther, Jigglypuff and Ivysaur argued, Vaporeon looked upset but both Dragonair and Pidgeot merely nodded their heads in acceptance, smiling at me. "Please you've got to listen." I said, clapping my hands and folded my arms. "It's not that I don't want you anymore, it's just that I feel like I need to start afresh, learning all I can about the new Pokémon out there and learning how to bond with them, and I can't do that with all of you with me, because I can only take six Pokémon at a time." They all quietened down, seeing sense. "I love you all so much, and I don't want to leave you but I promise, I'll be back one day and sometimes I may even call you out to Hoenn through Professor Oak if I need you. You guys are all so strong already, but I still have a lot of growing to do. It wouldn't be fair for me to continue relying on your strength forever, so I need to work hard and starting anew is one way to do that."

"Pidgeo." Pidgeot nodded her head then flapped her wings, turning to the others as she stood behind me. "Pidgeo Pidgeot, Pidgeo Piiiiidgeo!" Slowly everyone hung their heads then nodded solemnly, so I began hugging them all in turn.

"I'm going to miss you guys." I whispered as I tried not to cry. "I really will. I'll bring you all back special presents, I promise." But when I reached Jigglypuff, she turned away and ignored me.

"Puff!"

"Come on Jigglypuff, please don't be mad." I told my proud and slightly vain little Pokémon. "It's not forever." I tried to reach out for her again but she leaped out the way, turning around and by the light of the moon, I saw her angry expression.

"Puff Puff! Jiggly Jigglypuff!" She accused then ran away into the bushes, though everyone called out for her to come back. Pidgeot even moved to go bring her back but I rested a hand on her wing.

"No let her go. I know she must be upset. Just keep an eye on everyone for me Pidgeot? I'm counting on you now to keep everyone safe." I said to her then hugged her tightly. "You're all my best friends, and I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to any of you." Charizard reached down and nuzzled my head softly as Latias licked my cheek, making me giggle. "So guys, how about we all camp out here? Just one last night under the stars together."

Everyone nodded their heads and bundled close, Scyther giving me a bladed hug goodnight and rubbed his nose into my hair before curling up against Charizard who instantly spread his wing over us as he lay down, keeping us sheltered and warm as I nestled against Pidgeot's feathery body, Vaporeon and Ivysaur resting in my lap and over my legs as Latias snuggled against me.

We all camped out together under the moon and the stars, spending our last moments together in peace and comfort, wrapped up in each other's scents, presence and company until one by one, we all drifted off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

As I waved goodbye to everyone and all our Pokémon, Ash and I head down the road, both of us wearing our new clothes. Even Emily was here to wave us off so I gave an extra big smile to her and she replied with a wink, making me giggle. She was so cool.

There was only one unhappy face among everyone, and that was Jigglypuff. She pointedly turned her back and refused to look at me even as I tried to say goodbye for the last time. "Come on Jigglypuff, don't be upset with me." I tried, reaching out to gently poke her back but still she wouldn't turn. "I'm counting on you to be on border patrol for the professor, he needs your tough spark to keep the water and grass Pokémon in check. Think you can do that for me?"

"Puff." She pouted, folding her arms tighter so I sighed in defeat and turned around. Guess she's still upset that I'm leaving. I don't blame her, after all she hasn't had much travelling experience and no doubt wants to go out there and carry on performing her song to anyone she can to find someone who can stay awake other than me. It made me sad to think that she was angry with me so I bowed my head, looking at my feet as I walked beside Ash and Pikachu who noticed my upset so placed a hand on my shoulder, giving a goofy grin which cheered me up a little.

Ash and I continued down the road which would take us out of Pallet Town and towards the port where we could get a speed boat to Sea-foam Island, however after a few moments I heard someone calling out to me. "Jiggly! Jiggly Jigglypuff!"

"Huh?" I turned around and watched as Jigglypuff came running after me as quickly as she could, tears glittering in her eyes. "Jigglypuff?" I questioned, turning around to face her properly but the moment she was in close enough range, she leaped into the air and into my arms, gripping onto me tightly as she cried, making me stumble back a step as my arms instinctively curled around her as she rubbed her face into my shirt and cried.

"Jigglypuff Puff, Jiggly Jigglypuff Puff!"

"Hey it's okay." I said to her gently, holding her close and rubbing her head. "Please don't cry Jigglypuff." Holding her closer I smiled against her, pressing my cheek to the top of her head. "If you really don't want me to go, then how about you come with me?" I suggested, knowing it would be the only solution where everyone would be happy.

"Jiggly?" She gasped and looked up at me so I smiled and nodded my head.

"Of course, I'll need your help to keep Latias out of trouble, she's still quite young and I need as many eyes on her as I can get." I reasoned and she instantly squealed then hugged me even tighter, making me laugh and giggle.

"Jigglypuff! Jigglypuff Puff!" When I looked up I found Professor Oak standing in front of us, holding Jigglypuff's Pokéball with a smile.

"I think you might need this after all." He said to me, deepening his smile as he held it out to me. "It seems Jigglypuff is quite attached to you." He joked as Jigglypuff held onto me even tighter, rubbing her head into me as I beamed and chuckled.

"Yeah, I noticed. Jigglypuff return, you're coming with me on my next adventure." She disappeared with a flash of red, but not before kissing my face so I giggled before putting her Pokéball onto my belt. "Don't worry professor, Jigglypuff will be fine with me." I assured him. "Make sure you remember to send me reports on Vaporeon's eggs!"

"I shall. Take care now! If you see Gary, remind him to call home every once in a while!"

"We will!" Ash and I both chorused over our shoulders before turning and finally stepping out onto our next big journey.


	5. Chapter 5

Stepping into Littleroot Town's lab, the first thing I saw was someone running towards me. "Move out the way, hurry!" A man in a lab coat yelled, carrying a brown bag over his shoulder and I yelped before leaping out the way and Ash did the same as the guy raced out then disappeared in a flash into some tall grass. "Uh…what was that?" Ash questioned and I gave him a shrug with an expression that read 'no idea'.

"That was Professor Birch. Hello there, you two must be Ash and Ruby." Another guy said to us with a welcoming smile. "Professor Oak called and told us you'd be coming. It's very nice to meet you."

"Hi, nice to meet you too." I said with a smile before looking at the doors where Professor Birch had just disappeared to. "What was that all about? Did he hear Ash coming then just bolted for the hills? A wise decision I have to say." I sighed in mock despair, shaking my head as Ash balked.

"Hey!" Ash shot me a look so I grinned playfully at him, instantly winning him over so he rolled his eyes then smirked as the other professor chuckled with amusement.

"No, no, of course not. Professor Birch simply needed to collect some data from the field for a thesis he's been working on. He does this quite a lot, running in and out at any point of the day." I remember Tracey saying that Professor Birch was famous for his field work, he must be very enthusiastic about it. "The only thing is, he's taken the bag with the Pokéballs in it meant for the new trainer coming here today."

"Really? A new trainer?" Ash questioned then beamed. "That's awesome! And they're going to get their first Pokémon?" Our new acquaintance nodded his head. "In that case, let's go bring Professor Birch back! Right Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu beamed then raced after Ash who ran out the door in a very similar fashion to Professor Birch, diving headfirst into the bushes without a moment's hesitation, making me blink then yelp.

"Ash wait! Where are you going?" I called, diving out after him with a wave. "What's the rush?"

"I know how excited I was when I went to get my first Pokémon, so I know any other trainer would hate to have to wait any longer than necessary! So come on, let's bring Professor Birch back to the lab before the trainer gets there. Hurry up!" He laughed then ran off into the grass so I followed, groaning at his kid like behaviour. He's so irrational, surely he knows that if we just wait the Professor would come back eventually?

Eventually Ash slowed down and I caught up to him, taking a deep breath to settle my heart before we walked through the woods, calling out for Professor Birch but when we heard someone cry out, our attention was instantly drawn to a slope to where we had heard the noise come from. "Help me!"

"Hold on!" Both Ash and I responded and we all raced down the slope, stopping abruptly at the top when we saw a girl standing close to the bottom, wearing mainly red as well as a headscarf. I instantly liked her style. Red's a great colour! She had a Pokéball in her hand and a little blue Pokémon with orange cheeks. It looked like an aquatic Pokémon but she didn't appear to be its owner as it was blatantly ignoring her as she stood there.

"Alright a Mudkip!" The professor beamed, clinging to a tree with a group of angry looking grey Pokémon that I had never seen before at the bottom, circling him with snarling fangs glaring up at him.

"That's good, now what should I do?" She asked as Ash and I both looked at each other before grinning. Awesome! Already ten minutes into being in Hoenn, we'd found two new species of Pokémon! We both brought out our Pokédex and listened to the information on either of the Pokémon, Ash going first.

"Mudkip, the swamp Pokémon. The fin on its head is like a sensitive radar. The fin is able to detect movements in the air and water. This Pokémon can determine the surroundings around it without using its eyes." Dexter informed before my own piped up with its information on the cute Pokémon down the cliff side, barking at Professor Birch.

"Poochyena, the Bite Pokémon. Poochyena is the pre-evolved form of Mightyena. Its biting strength is superior to other Pokémon, and has the endurance to chase opponents down until completely exhausted." Cute. I want one! Though the ones down there look very territorial and mightily annoyed that someone had trodden on their turf.

"Just say use Water Gun now!" Professor Birch yelled desperately as he clung to his branch, the Poochyena all snarling at him angrily. Okay, so maybe they aren't as cute as I originally thought. They look kind of vicious.

"Right." The girl said blankly then pointed unenthusiastically to the Mudkip. "Use Water Gun." In answer, the Mudkip turned and spurted its water plume straight into her face, making her yelp in surprise before blinking in confusion. "Is that meant to happen?" I couldn't help it, I clutched my stomach and howled with laughter. Now that Mudkip has spunk!

"Come on Pikachu, we'd better get in there quick!" Ash said to Pikachu who nodded his head in agreement.

"Pika." They both ran forwards and I followed, jumping down the slope where Ash flung a hand out to the Poochyena just as the branch that Professor Birch was holding onto snapped and he fell to the ground, yelling out loud as he began to run around in circles, hands flung up as he was chased by the Poochyena.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, let's go!"

"Pika…CHUUUUU!" Pikachu called as he leaped up into the air, spinning around so I turned to the Mudkip who blinked at me, fin quivering as it checked out its surroundings.

"Go Mudkip, use Water Gun to distract those Poochyena!" Satisfied with the clear instruction, Mudkip turned around and ran forwards with a little squeak.

"Mudkip!" Ah! So cute! "Muuud…kip!" The Mudkip spurted a funnel of water down at the Poochyena, catching their attention and they turned around, keeping still in the moment that Pikachu released his attack, shooting out a powerful bolt of electricity down on all three Poochyena, however he let it off the moment they'd all had a small taste of his strength and they all ran away whimpering into the bushes, leaving in a hurry.

"Wow! Thanks kids. That was a close one." Professor Birch sighed in relief whilst rubbing his head as he finally stopped running, panting for breath. "You three sure showed up at the right time."

"No problem professor, we were just out looking for you." Ash said to him. "We were hoping to bring you back to the lab before the new trainer gets there so they could pick out their Pokémon straight away. I knew when I first got my Pikachu, I was so excited that I would have hated to have to wait!" He beamed. "My name's Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town.

"And I'm Ruby Bates, also from Pallet Town." I introduced with a wave. "It's nice to meet you." I told him as the professor climbed back up the small rock face then dusted himself off.

"It's nice to meet you too. This is May, she's the new trainer hoping to collect her Pokémon today." We all blinked and looked at her as she blushed and waved.

"Hi, it's great to meet you." She told us as Professor Birch turned to the Mudkip.

"Mudkip return! Okay kids, how about we go back to the lab for some refreshments. It's been quite an exciting day already, and it's still early!" He chuckled loudly then marched forwards, leading the way. When we got to the top, however, May cried out.

"Oh no! My bike's been barbequed!" Ash and Pikachu instantly gave a guilty laugh.

"Sorry about that, guess Pikachu must have got carried away." He said sheepishly as I smirked, receiving a flashback to when Misty had marched into the Viridian City Pokémon Centre with a crispy bike just like that. Professor Birch merely laughed again, saying not to worry and he'd set to work fixing it, so he wheeled it back then left it in his store garage before leading us inside. We all sat down and had some lemonade, which was very refreshing but the moment we'd finished, Professor Birch turned to May.

"So May, are you ready to pick out your first Pokémon?" He questioned and I noticed how May gave a little shudder before nodding her head.

"Sure. Why not?" She shrugged and so Professor Birch picked out three Pokéballs which he set on the table before us.

"These Pokéballs contain three beginning Pokémon. First up, Treecko." A small green gecko like Pokémon appeared, with a red front and yellow eyes.

"Treecko." It greeted and instantly I squealed.

"It's so cute! I love it!" May, however, seemed to have different views. She leaped back and used her arms to guard herself as she stared at it, lifting a foot off the ground to keep as much of herself away from it as possible as she yelped.

"It's creepy!"

"No it's not May." Ash said as he leaned closer with me as we knelt on the floor before it. "I think it's a really cool Pokémon!" Next Pokémon was the Mudkip we'd met earlier, who turned a gorgeously sweet and innocently cheeky smile up at us.

"And this is Mudkip."

"Kip?" It blinked up at me and I smiled as I knelt down and held out my hand to let it sniff me.

"Hey there, remember me?"

"Kip!" It squeaked happily, nodding its head as Ash leaned in for a closer look.

"Now _that's_ a water type." He decided and Professor Birch nodded his head.

"Correct." But May only gave it an unimpressed look as she placed her hands on her hips and looked down at it.

"Yeah but that Mudkip wouldn't do a single thing that I asked it to do." Maybe it's because you look and sound so disinterested in the Pokémon. I mean, if I were that Mudkip, I would have done the exact same thing. What's the deal with this girl? She's starting out as a trainer yet she doesn't appear to have one single interest in Pokémon, it's disturbing.

"Next I'd like you to meet Torchic." Professor Birch introduced then a sweet little chick Pokémon with bright orange feathers appeared, blinking its large dark eyes up at us then looked at May curiously.

"Torchic?"

"This Torchic is a fire type." Professor Birch told us and I smiled.

"I chose a fire type for my first Pokémon. It was a Charmander." I said and he nodded his head.

"Yes Professor Oak told me all about you two. Apparently you're both quite impressive battlers and very enthusiastic about Pokémon." He noted to us as the Torchic hopped over to May then began to rub its head affectionately against her leg.

"Well this one's not so bad. I like it." She decided with a smile before bending down to pick it up. "That's that. I've chosen Torchic!" Her new Torchic gave her a cute little smile, chirping happily.

"Torchic Tor." It chirped at her sweetly as Professor Birch nodded his head appreciatively before gesturing back to the table.

"Be sure to take that Pokédex and those Pokéballs with you. If you work hard then you can become an even better Pokémon trainer than your father." He said with a bright smile, closing his eyes to accent the lines on his face which only made his smile seem brighter.

"Sounds like a great goal May." Ash agreed as May gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah! Thanks Ash." She waved a little dismissively so I arched an eyebrow at her. Did she have a problem with Pokémon? If she did then why was she signing up to become a trainer? It didn't make sense. Something was off with this girl, like she was trying to hide something and it made me twitchy.

"So are you two going to enter for the Hoenn league?" Professor Birch directed to Ash and I so I looked around back to the professor.

"I am for sure. I can't wait to get started on training and capturing Pokémon. It's going to be great!" Ash said, clenching his fists tightly with excitement as Pikachu leaped onto his shoulder.

"Pika!" But I just shook my head.

"No, not this time. I'm here just for the ride and to study as many new kinds of Pokémon I can ready for when I start my dream work." I told him and Professor Birch snapped his fingers together.

"Oh yes I remember Professor Oak telling me, you want to start a large Pokémon Sanctuary where all Pokémon can be treated, looked after and protected from harm. That's great Ruby, I really admire that. You can be sure you have my support all the way. If you have any questions or need some help with any research, I'd be glad to help." He assured me and I smiled brightly up at him.

"Thanks professor, that's great!" He nodded his head then turned to Ash.

"Now Ash, May, to enter for the Hoenn league, you'll have to register at the nearest Pokémon Centre. Okay? The nearest town with a Pokémon Centre is Oldale Town, so you three should all head that way. Here, I have a map for you. Who's going to take it?" I quickly snatched it out of Ash's reach, giving him a pointed glare.

"I think _I'd_ better be in charge of directions. You've gotten us lost more times than I can count."

"Hey it's not _my_ fault, the path never goes where I want it to go!"

"You can't _move_ a path genius, you have to follow the right one!" I answered back.

"Oh yeah, says who?"

"Me!" And with that I whacked him on the back of his head. "So buckle up, we're registering you for the Hoenn League. We'd better get going if we want to make good time before dark. Let's go!" With that I marched out of the lab with Ash hurrying to keep up. "Thanks for everything professor!"

"Wait! Don't leave without me!" May called and I blinked, watching as she ran to catch up. She stopped and gasped for breath, clutching her knees before glaring at us both. "You barbequed my bike, so you guys owe me a safe passage to Oldale Town. Besides, I happen to know the way without some old map to get us lost, _and_ even a shortcut that'll get us there in no time." She said so Ash and I both looked at one another. Bring May with us?

"Sure!" Ash nodded with a grin. "The more the merrier. Right Ruby?"

"Sure. I guess it's okay." I granted, giving a shrug before offering May the road. "After you."

"Why thank you." She said with a smirk then lifted her head, walking forwards proudly and I frowned. Hmm…I'm not sure if I actually like this one. There's something off about her. I guess only time will tell.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delay, this chapter is a little longer for you guys. Thanks for all the reviews!**

* * *

Well, I know that I don't like May now. She complains _all_ the time about having to walk everywhere, and how her feet hurt and that she was hungry. And we are still only on day one! We stopped for a quick break where I handed out sandwiches, but then we were moving again seeing as Ash and I wanted to get to Oldale Town before dark. Which seemed less and less likely by the minute as May continued to slow the pace.

"Ash?" She said finally in a questioning tone.

"Yeah?"

"I thought Pokémon were supposed to stay inside their Pokéballs, right?" She looked at Pikachu pointedly and Ash smiled.

"I guess so. But Pikachu likes it better hanging outside with me." Ash told her so I explained further.

"Some Pokémon don't like to be inside their Pokéball, because it's too crowded or they simply prefer being free. Pokémon natures all seem to differ between Pokémon, which is why it's so important to get to know your Pokémon first before you start testing your bond in battle." I schooled before gesturing to the Torchic Pokéball she was now holding. "You should play with your Torchic, get to know it better."

"Play with it?" She questioned and I nodded my head.

"I used to play with my Pokémon all the time, I still do! It's a great way to just relax and also, it's a way to grow closer together and get to know each other better." May hummed slightly.

"You know, I barely know anything about this Torchic." So Ash came to her rescue.

"Then what you should do is look it up in that new Pokédex you just got." He advised and May instantly smiled.

"Oh yeah!" So she pulled out her Pokédex and began to read the information. "It says here that Torchic is a fire type Pokémon and its attacks are…"

"Hey! Look at that!" Ash said and we all looked up to see a tiny round Pokémon sitting in the middle of the road, smiling up at us and May gasped softly.

"Whoa…" And then her Pokédex began to speak.

"Azurill, the water ball Pokémon. Azurill is able to throw its tail like a lasso, using the momentum to move about." With that it tilted its head sweetly to the side and blinked up at us.

"Azurill?"

"It's so cute!" May declared with glittering eyes, smiling at the adorable little Pokémon and I gave a little smile myself. I guess not all Pokémon are bad, right May? "I want it!"

"Then try and catch it!" Ash encouraged so May went for a Pokéball, pulling it out of her bag.

"Okay, I'll just grab me a Pokéball, and throw it!" She held out her Pokéball and we both blinked at her in surprise. Before we could stop her, she flung it forwards and tried to capture the little Pokémon.

"No! Not like that!" We both chorused but it was too late. The Pokéball opened and swallowed up the Azurill, landing on the ground and began to shiver however May was already celebrating.

"Oh yeah! I caught my first Pokémon!" She cheered but I just sighed and shook my head.

"Don't speak too soon." I advised her and she blinked at me in surprise.

"What do you mean?" In answer I prodded my finger a few times at the Pokéball, signalling she should look and when she turned, the ball burst open and the Pokémon burst free with a flash of light, looking a little hacked off at being so rudely disturbed. "Hey! What gives?!"

"Well…you're not going to catch anything that way." Ash said to her with his arms folded across his chest but May whirled around impatiently.

"Why not? I threw an empty Pokéball at it, didn't I?"

"True." Nodding my head in agreement I too folded my arms and closed my eyes, gesturing lazily with a flick of my fingers towards the Azurill. "But to capture a Pokémon, you have to weaken it first so that it's less likely to break free of the Pokéball that you throw at it." I told her so she smiled.

"Right! I know. Time for a Pokémon battle! Torchic, I choose you!" She called out and her cute little Torchic appeared. "Uh…now what were those attacks again?" I clapped a hand to my face. Was I like that when I first started out?

Suddenly Torchic scattered forwards after the Azurill, however it bounced on the end of its tail and hopped away, leading Torchic over to a tree which it ploughed into senselessly, not thinking that the Azurill would pull such a cheap trick like that. "Well that wasn't good. Torchic, are you okay?" May asked so I sighed. Time to step in.

"Since it's a fire type May, I'm guessing it can use Ember." I told her simply. "And by its body typing also, I'm thinking there may be a possibility of Scratch and or Peck, so give it a try."

"Right. Torchic! Use…Torchic! Hey Torchic, wait for me!" May called, chasing after her Torchic which was racing after the Azurill however when it pulled the same trick again and Torchic ran into a stone, it knocked itself out for a moment, eyes going dizzy as the Azurill got away. "Okay…" May said with a sigh as she carefully picked up her Torchic. "Next time don't do anything until I tell you to." She told her Torchic who looked up at her with misty eyes.

"Torchic?"

"Hey, what are you crying for? Come on." She wondered in confusion.

"Don't worry May. You'll get it next time." Ash said but I just arched an eyebrow. Be patient with her Ruby, she's only a beginner.

"Here. How about I help your Torchic out?" I suggested, unslinging my bag then pulled out some Pokémon food I keep for Charizard. "This is meant for fire type Pokémon, it's got special food and nutrients mixed together to help them grow stronger. Here Torchic, try some." I offered it to the little Pokémon, who pecked at it then beamed happily, snapping up the rest with a gobble then chirped cheerfully once again.

"Wow that was fast." May blinked in surprise.

"Taking care of your Pokémon is important. After every battle, you should make sure that they're alright and give them something if they're low on energy like a Super Potion." I told her. "Don't worry, your Torchic will be fine. It just needs some more practice before it can get really strong. Isn't that right my cute little friend?" I asked, reaching out and tickling Torchic on the stomach which instantly made it kick out and chirp happily.

"Come on, we'd better keep moving. If we hurry, we can get to the Pokémon Centre by tonight and you can restore Torchic's energy there." Ash said before hurrying forwards, leaving May and I behind before we ran to catch up.

We were running for just a little while when in view ahead, came a bunch of old looking stones that almost looked like a graveyard. "Huh? I wonder what all those rocks are for." Ash wondered aloud as we slowed down the pace to get a closer look.

"It looks like they might be a bunch of old buildings." May said as we all looked around with interest.

"Actually, these are the ruins of Oldale." Someone said with a welcoming smile as he walked towards us. "I'm Professor Olden and I'm here investigating them." He introduced so I smiled and waved.

"Hey there, I'm Ruby and this is Ash."

"And my name's May, hello." She said with a nod of her head.

"Nice to meet you all. Now tell me, where are you three going in such a hurry?" He asked curiously so May looked down at the Torchic Pokéball she was holding and refusing to let go of.

"We're trying to find the Pokémon Centre for my Torchic. It needs to get some rest to restore its energy." She explained so Professor Olden turned and looked down over the hill to where we finally spotted the Pokémon Centre, right next to the road we had been following.

"Well, you're almost there. It's just over this hill." He told us and we all beamed and gave a relieved laugh.

"That's great, thanks!"

"Thank you professor." I agreed after Ash had turned to him.

"Thanks a bunch!" May added before we all continued running all the way down the hill and into the Pokémon Centre just as it was beginning to get dark. We all walked up to the desk where Nurse Joy was waiting with her pretty smile and I wasn't surprised to find she looked exactly the same to every other Nurse Joy I've ever encountered. "Nurse Joy, will you please take care of my Torchic?" May asked and Nurse Joy gave a smile and nod of her head.

"No problem. Let's see now…" She took the Pokéball from May then placed it in a holder that was behind the desk, where Nurse Joy then began to run a scan on Torchic.

"Does it look okay in there?" May asked with concern as Nurse Joy continued her analysis, the machine starting to show stats and conditioning on the small screens above the holders.

"One more second." Nurse Joy said evenly, typing on the keyboard before turning around with a smile. "Your Torchic is fine. A good night's sleep is all it needs." She informed and I relaxed slightly. Well that's good news.

"Thank goodness!" May said with a smile, standing up a little straighter.

"Feel better now May?" Ash questioned and she nodded her head to hum.

"Uh huh."

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu cheered brightly, standing up on Ash's shoulder as I stood beside them both.

"I think a good night's sleep will do you some good as well." Nurse Joy suggested and we all agreed with her. We'd only been travelling half a day and I was already tired. I guess all that running probably did the trick.

"Hey Ash, Ruby, now that we're in a Pokémon Centre, would you mind showing me around?" May asked and we both nodded our heads and spoke in unison.

"Sure, no problem May." But Ash held up a hand. "But first, I need to go register for the Hoenn league, then I can start collecting badges! Are you sure you don't want to try again Ruby? You could do better this time if Sophia isn't here." He offered but I shook my head.

"No, I'm fine. This time, I'll be the one supporting you every step of the way. I'll be cheering for you the loudest, and reminding you not to make any dumb mistakes, okay genius?" I asked then playfully punched him on the shoulder which made him laugh.

"Right. I'll be just a second." He said then went back to the desk where he spoke with Nurse Joy and handed over his Pokédex to register.

"So why does Ash want to battle in the Hoenn League?" May asked me curiously so I gave a little laugh.

"All Ash ever thinks about is battling. He loves it. Battling in the Hoenn region is just the next big adventure for him, and he can't wait to get started. You see, Ash dreams of one day becoming a Pokémon master, so that means he's got his heart set on winning every champion league he can enter." I explained to her and she blinked slightly before thinking it over in her head.

"Wow, sounds like a hard dream. Do you think he'll ever make it?" I nodded my head.

"Absolutely, with someone as stubborn as Ash, there's no way he'll give up until he's there." I said then giggled as Pikachu leaped up onto my shoulder with a bright smile.

"Pika!"

"And since he's got Pikachu at his side, there's no way Ash could ever fail. Right buddy?" I questioned and Pikachu nodded his head studiously.

"Pikachu." May giggled and rubbed Pikachu's cheek and he smiled, letting her pet him but only squealed when I found the specific spot where he enjoys being stroked most, just under his chin and on his cheek sacks.

"You two seem pretty close considering Pikachu isn't your Pokémon. How come?" May asked as Ash made his way back over.

"Well you see, we've been travelling together for a while now, so Pikachu trusts me a lot. All our Pokémon do. If we were ever in a tight spot, all the Pokémon trust both Ash and I to help them get out of it and will do anything we ask them, even if we're not their trainer. Though first loyalty is of course to their real trainer, and sometimes Ash has trouble with one or two of my Pokémon, seeing as they can be quite stubborn." I gave a smile as Ash walked up to us, giving a guilty chuckle and rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah. That Jigglypuff of yours sure knows how to Double Slap." He told me so I winked at him. "So come on May, we'll show you around. This of course is the lobby where trainers hang out and talk to each other, exchanging things they know about their Pokémon and stuff like that." He told her as we walked towards the stairs.

"Over there is the E-R, which is the emergency room where Pokémon go if they need immediate treatment from Nurse Joy and the Chansey." I added as we walked past a Chansey. "Hey there Chansey, how's it going?"

"Chansey, Chan!" She waved back as she carried some towels before continuing.

"Wow, they're kind of cute." May noted as we climbed the stairs. Ash and I led her over to a door then opened it up.

"And this room is where the trainers sleep." Ash told her as we all looked inside to see the bunk beds and spacious flooring.

"Hey, not too shabby." May nodded her head, pleased with the comfortable looking furnishings.

"I always go for the bottom bunk." I said to her with a smile. "Because I'm likely to kick about and roll over, so if I fall then I won't go far."

"Yeah, remember that time you fell out from the top bunk and landed on the floor? Brock thought there had been an avalanche." Ash teased and I whirled around to face him.

"You take that back Ash Ketchum, or you're in for it!" Both Pikachu and Ash laughed as I rushed at him, trying to catch him by the jacket but he shot off before I could reach and I chased him back into the lobby. "Get back here genius, or you're noodle soup!"

"Hey guys, wait up for me!" May said, running after us and waving a hand. Ash led us both all the way to the cafeteria where he got in line then got some stuff to eat from the Chansey there.

"Man, I'm starving!" He said as his stomach rumbled. I was too. Okay, maybe pummelling Ash for inadvertently calling me fat can wait. First I need to store up on strength.

"You're lucky I'm hungry genius, or you would be looking like that scrambled egg right now." I told him seriously before smirking, which he returned before we both got our food and May joined us with hers.

"Wow, you two seem close. Are you dating?" She asked us and Ash nearly choked on his food.

"Wargh?!" I slapped him on the back then shook my head.

"Of course not, we've just known each other for a very long time. We grew up together after all, and we've been travelling all across the Kanto and Johto region together." I excused as Pikachu gently patted Ash's back as he recovered.

"Yeah, that'd be weird. Ruby's like my own sister. I couldn't date her." Ash said and with both gave each other a grin. "She sure bosses me around like one."

"Well if you weren't so much of an idiot, then I wouldn't have to!" I answered with a laugh. "Besides, who needs dating when there are Pokémon to be caught and battles to be fought?"

"Exactly!" Ash agreed then began to wolf down his food again, barely stopping to chew. May took a cautious bite of her rice and curry before blinking and smiling, adding a little more into her mouth before swallowing.

"Hmm…yummy. These centres are really great." She said as I too ate my food with a little more decorum and control than the pig that was sitting next to me. "Everything you could ever want in one place!"

"But remember, they're only here for the trainers so that they can rest between heavy training." Ash told her with a cheerful expression.

"Well, you're getting ready for heavy training and I'm training too, right?" She questioned and Ash blinked.

"Well, I guess when you put it that way." I looked over to Pikachu to see him struggling with a ketchup bottle cap, so I reached over and took it from him with a smile.

"Here Pikachu, let me help you with that." I said then twisted it off before handing it back to him.

"Chuuuu!" He squealed happily then began to drink it from the bottle. Wow, I guess Pikachu really likes the stuff. Maybe I'll have to get some for special treats when on the road.

"The three weary travellers. Glad you made it safely." A familiar voice said and we looked up to find Professor Olden standing there with a tray of food in his hands.

"Hi there!" We all chorused and he sat down to join us.

"So how do you like Olden Pokémon Centre?" He asked us. "I've been coming here a while now because of my research, and I think it's one of the best Pokémon Centres I've ever visited."

"It's sure great." I agreed then nodded my head to May. "It's May's first day as a Pokémon trainer and she's just settling in to things, but I think we're all agreed that this Pokémon centre is really well provided for. Right guys?"

"Sure! I can't wait to go try out those comfy looking beds." May said with a yawn, stretching up and we all chuckled.

"Sounds like you all had a busy day." The professor noted before eating some of his dinner.

"Professor, what exactly were those stones we saw you studying at?" Ash asked and I pushed away my empty tray to shift around and listen with intrigue. I wanted to know too, they looked very old and rich in history. This should be good.

"Well, if you guys come with me, I can tell you a little more, but here it's a little too crowded. My research isn't ready to get out to the public, if you know what I mean." Professor Olden said so I stood up.

"Of course! Let's go guys, this should be really interesting." So we followed Professor Olden who led us into a room which looked like had been converted into a study. There were soil and rock samples all dated and organised neatly on the desk, with a map on the wall and a photo that Ash looked closely at.

"Hey professor, are those the same ruins we saw when we were up on that hill?" He asked and Professor Olden nodded his head.

"Yes. And lucky for me the Pokémon Centre has been generous enough to give me the use of this room whilst I continue my research on those ruins. You know, there's a stone chamber within the ruins, and legend has it that it's a sort of bridge, or portal, between our world and the ancient Pokémon world." He told us and I instantly tried to imagine what it would look like and what ancient Pokémon he could be talking about. "But because of its strange construction, any attempts to enter the chamber cause it to start crumbling. So its contents remain unknown."

"What do you mean by ancient Pokémon?" Ash asked as he turned to look at the professor.

"Well Ash." Professor Olden began. "I'm not talking about extinct fossil Pokémon like Areodactyl and Kobuto, I'm talking about _ancient_ Pokémon that have been living since ancient times without changing at all." That must be so amazing! I want to see them so bad right now.

"Wow, that's cool!" Ash said with genuine awe.

"Most of the details involving ancient Pokémon like how they lived and where they are is still a complete mystery to the world. Guess it's the mystery that makes it all so fascinating." May gave a bright eyed smile.

"There might be more to Pokémon than I thought."

"Ancient Pokémon." Ash said dreamily. "I'd love to meet one."

"Me too." I agreed with a sigh. "Meeting an ancient Pokémon still the same way it was millions of years ago, now that's got to be something worth seeing."

"Pika Pika." Pikachu agreed as they both looked at the photo of the ruins once again.

"You might just get your chance." Professor Olden said as he held up a stone tablet, which was old and slightly crumbling but the text on its surface with still readable, though I couldn't tell what it said because it looked like a language I'd never even seen before. "The correct way to enter the stone chamber is written is written right here on this tablet." He revealed and we all gasped.

"No way!"

"You're kidding!"

"Let's go then!" May said, holding her hands together in front of her face in excitement.

"Well, there are four keys needed to enter that haven't yet been found, so I'm afraid we'll have to wait just a bit longer." Aw man! There's always a catch. Well, at least we know _how_ to get into the stone chamber to see those Pokémon. All it's going to take now is a little time.

"I sure hope we find those keys soon." Ash said but then, without warning, the light's all cut off, leaving everyone in darkness.

"The lights!" May instantly clung to me and I instinctively held out a hand to shield her from harm. The door swung open and as my eyes adjusted, I saw three figures standing there with a trio of Pokémon that looked like they meant business, especially with those big horns on their heads.

"What? What is the meaning of this?" Professor Olden demanded as the middle figure stepped forwards, their glasses all glowing red.

"Professor Olden." He began with a smirk as the Pokémon all growled. "We would like you to accompany us on a little journey to the Oldale ruins." He revealed but Professor Olden instantly stepped back.

"I will not!" Yeah! You tell them professor, you show those creeps who's boss!

"I'm sorry, Professor Olden? When the power went…oh!" Nurse Joy gasped as she stumbled upon our little situation but without warning, another one of those thugs grabbed her tightly, making her yelp again.

"Well now professor, would you like to change your mind?" He asked and I could see the look of horror on Professor Olden's face before he glared at them.

"Yes. Alright, I'll go with you then."

"Good. Now, grab those kids and throw them away where they won't interrupt." I instantly stepped forwards and threw out a hand.

"No way, you're not laying a single finger on us. Just who are you creeps and what do you want with Professor Olden?" I demanded to know but their ring leader merely smirked.

"Well, feisty aren't you little girl? I'm afraid Team Magma doesn't waste time with puny little shrimps like you. We have many important things to attend to that little children won't understand." He said then snapped his fingers.

One of the Pokémon instantly leaped forwards and landed on me, making me cry out in alarm as it shoved its snarling face into mine, baring its fangs and I gulped. Okay. Comply now, break free later. We were taken away to the storage room where we were thrown inside and locked in, though May was handled pretty roughly and she cried out.

"Ow!"

"Hey! Let us out of here!" Ash yelled as he hammered his fist against the door.

"What did they want?" May asked as she stood up and Nurse Joy turned to her.

"To get into the stone chamber I'll bet." She informed us as I rubbed my arm where I'd been rather brutally manhandled. I'll make that idiot pay for that one.

"Nurse Joy, do you know those people?" Ash asked but she shook her head.

"Oh no, I don't. But I'm sure they're the ones who caused the blackout by cutting the power here to the centre. Oh! That means all the Pokémon being treated here are in danger!" Her hands jumped to her mouth as May stepped forwards with a worried expression.

"Wait, you mean my Torchic's in trouble?!"

"We have to switch over to our reserve power right away." She said calmly but Ash gave a dark expression, glaring at the door.

"To do that, we'll have to get out of here first."

"Well then, I guess that means I'm up." I said and was about to reach for a Pokéball when Pikachu called out to us.

"Pika! Pika Pi! Pikachu." He said whilst pointing to an airshaft. Or that could work.

"An airshaft! Way to go Pikachu. Don't worry Nurse Joy, we'll climb out of here and get you all out." Ash said, gesturing to himself and Pikachu before opening up the vent.

"There's a switch behind the desk which will switch the power and a master key to open this door." She told him as he climbed into the shaft with Pikachu. "Please hurry!"

"Hey, you're not leaving me behind." I said to Ash and climbed in after him. "Knowing you, you'll get yourself stuck in here and then what?"

"Fine, just keep up will you?" Ash called back to me then began to crawl forwards. It was pitch black and we bumped into the walls, the ceiling and each other a couple of times before I drew out my flashlight and switched in on.

"Here, this should help things. You take it Ash." I said, rolling it towards him and he took it to shine the way ahead.

"Ash! Ruby! Slow down!" May's voice whispered loudly and we both looked back.

"May, why're you here?" Ash demanded so she gave him a pointed look.

"Why should I miss out on the adventure?" She reasoned so Ash rolled his eyes then continued moving forwards, however when we got to a junction, he stopped.

"Now what? Which way?"

"Should we split off?" I asked but then Pikachu stood up, twitching his ears before pointing to the right.

"Pika."

"Hmm…that way huh?" Ash questioned so Pikachu jumped forwards and starting to lead the way for us, bounding down the airshaft then pointed left, where we crawled after him then looked to where he was pointing.

"Pikachu!"

"Hey! Way to go buddy." Ash laughed as we found the exit.

"Wow, your Pikachu is pretty smart Ash." May said as Pikachu folded his arms then gave a non-disputing nod of his head. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's turn on the power!"

"Right." Ash and I both nodded her heads and I crawled forwards ahead of everyone, spinning around then struck the grate with my foot, forcing it off then climbed out of there, helping Ash and May after me.

Ash ran straight for the desk and found the master key whilst May turned over the power, flooding the place with light. "I switched it over to reserve power." May said with a smile so I smiled.

"Great job guys, now let's go free Nurse Joy." I said then led the way back to the storage room, where Ash unlocked the door and together we opened them up, revealing ourselves to a smiling Nurse Joy. "All set." I told her and she beamed further.

"Great!"

"Will you be okay Nurse Joy?" Ash asked her and she nodded her head with a calm and determined look on her face.

"You bet."

"Then we're going to go help Professor Olden!" Ash declared then ran off with me close behind and May also as Nurse Joy called out after us.

"Please be careful!" We ran all the way, climbing up the hill and my hand was itching to reach for Charizard's Pokéball. I'll show them all not to mess with my friends. I'd like to see those three scary looking Pokémon try to intimidate my Charizard, or even Jigglypuff. I don't think there's anything that she's afraid of.

"Professor!" Ash called ahead as we saw him sat on the ground, watching as a helicopter disappeared into the skies. Drat! I'll get them next time. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine." He assured us with a smile and May beamed.

"What a relief!" Both Ash and I helped Professor Olden to stand up, and he brushed himself down before looking back to the open chamber.

"Well, they didn't find what they were apparently looking for, but they had the four keys that were needed to open the chamber! This means I can continue my research with new breakthroughs with all this new data just waiting to be explored." He said in excitement.

"That's great professor, if you find anything, be sure to let us know." I said before yawning. "But for now, I think the ancient Pokémon can wait just a little bit longer. I need to get some sleep."

"I agree. It's been a long night for us all." Professor Olden said. "Come on, let's all go back to the Pokémon Centre." So we walked back together, everyone safe and sound. However those new bad guys were now a new threat on my mind. Team Magma. I wonder what they were up to and why they had tried to open the stone chamber. I guess we won't find out until we meet them again.


	7. Chapter 7

With May off doing her own thing, Ash and I went straight to the Petalburg City gym. It was grand looking and had a flight of stone steps leading up to it, which Ash, Pikachu and I all stood at the bottom of, gazing upwards. "Here we are Pikachu, are you ready? Let's go give it our best shot." He said to Pikachu who instantly lifted a tiny little fist up into the air.

"Pika!"

"Come on, I want to see inside." I laughed then raced up the steps, going inside to find it looked a lot like a fighting dojo. Awesome! Does this mean its fighting type Pokémon? I love it already!

"Hello!" Ash called out but his voice echoed across the empty gym. "I'm Ash, I'm from Pallet Town and I'd like a battle." He said fearlessly, however when no one answered he blinked then stepped further inside. "Is anybody here?"

"Can you please keep it down?" A surprising voice demanded and I twisted to see a little kid with black hair and round glasses stand there, rubbing his head as he carried a book in one arm, not looking at us. "I'm right in the middle of watching a video of the Silver Conference." He told us with irritation. The kid wore shorts and a green shirt, simple and rather neat.

"Oh, I'm sorry kid." Ash said guiltily as I gave a smile.

"Yeah, we didn't mean to disturb you." Finally the kid looked up at us, but almost instantly his entire character changed, pointing at us with wide eyes.

"Wow! It's really you!" He practically yelled, pointing to the both of us in turn and repeatedly, as if he still couldn't believe we were there.

"That's right, but how do you know us?" Ash asked in shock, leaning back from the kid as he got closer.

"You were both in the Johto League Silver Conference!" He yelled again. "You both lost!" Ash and Pikachu both hung their heads in similar stances, suddenly feeling completely dejected but I just folded my arms, leaned into my hip and arched an eyebrow but the kid didn't notice. "Hold on, your names…are…don't tell me! Your names…are…Alf and Trudy!" He cried out and Ash sank even lower to the floor.

"It's Ash." He corrected blankly as I gave the kid a look.

"And mine's Ruby." But he was already moving on.

"Hey! And that's your Pikachu!" He walked over to Pikachu and picked him up to rub his face against him. "Hi there Pikachu, my name's Max." He introduced then turned to Ash. "I watched you compete in the Silver Conference live, and then I've been watching the videos I've made of it ever since!" Suddenly he was right in Ash's face. "Yup. You lost in the second round, you got knocked out by Harrison and his Blaziken, then that was it for you!"

"Do you have to keep talking about the ones I lost? Besides, I did make it to the victory round you know." He reminded Max who became even more excited and enthused than before.

"I _know_! Your battle was totally awesome! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! That final battle between your Charizard and Blaziken was really cool! Both Pokémon just kept taking one attack after another! Then got back up! But I guess Charizard just couldn't handle it." He said then smirked as he held his chin. "If you have to do it over again, don't you think you would use Charizard's attacks more effectively? If I had been there, I would have won it. You've still got a long way to go."

"Hold it right there kid." I said, placing both hands on my hips as I stomped down a foot as I stepped in front of Max, making him gulp as I glared down at him. "Ash didn't lose in the second round, he drew with Jackson, which is not a loss. Plus, Ash did the best that he and his Pokémon could, which was amazing and you have nothing that compares to how great Ash is, because you're just a little kid. How would you know how to battle someone as advanced as Harrison was and come out on top. Huh?" Max merely straightened his glasses.

"Well, at least I wouldn't have gotten pulverised by my opponent the way _you_ were in the semis. Sophia Winthrop absolutely took you! But then you were totally amazing, moving the way you did with your Charizard and completely owning the field the way you did! And then you dove in after your Vaporeon, putting yourself in danger then actually _blocked_ a _Fire Blast_ attack all by _yourself_! How did you do it? You created some sort of shield, without calling any kind of attack! Was it your Pokémon or was it really you like everyone says?"

"I did it." I told him simply. "And the only reason Sophia beat me was because she'd successfully destroyed my battle spirit, making me feel like the lowest of the low which meant I was out of sync with my Pokémon. The next time I battle her, it'll be a different story." Max smirked and arched an eyebrow cleverly.

"Oh yeah? Then why'd you just give up the way you did at the last minute. Your Vaporeon was fine, it could have battled on and you still had your Charizard, yet you decided to eliminate yourself with a TKO. Now that's cowardly." Okay, now he's just pushing it.

"It was not cowardly! My Vaporeon was going to be having eggs! It was dangerous to make her continue battling, and I'd had enough! Now stop talking and go get the gym leader!" I yelled at him, making both Ash and Max rear back in fear as I towered over them.

"Wow Ruby, calm down." Ash said so I turned away and glared at the wall. Suddenly one of my Pokéballs burst open and Latias appeared, giving a concerned whine then flew around to face me.

"Latias? Latias La!"

"I'm okay Latias." I said with a sigh, reaching out and holding her head to mine, smiling as her presence relaxed me. "This kid just gets on my nerve."

"No. Way! A real Latias? _The_ legendary Latias? How did someone like _you_ manage to capture a Pokémon like that?!" Max demanded so I shot him a glare as Latias circled around me.

"I found her as an egg and raised it myself, for your information. Latias chose to be my Pokémon, right Latias?" Latias nodded her head just as three people walked in.

"Hi Max. What're you doing?" May asked and he blinked at her.

"Oh. Hi sis."

"Your sister?!" Both Ash and I suddenly yelled aloud before we looked at one another. What's going on here? I'm totally confused. What's May doing at the gym? And how come Max is her little brother?

"Why don't we sit down?" The tall man suggested, leading the way and I guessed the family sat on one side as Ash and I took the bench adjoining it, Latias flying overhead happily.

"Ash, Ruby, I'd like you to meet my family." May introduced and her father nodded her head.

"Hi there. My name is Norman."

"And I'm Caroline." Her mother said with a warm smile before May held a hand out to her brother.

"And this is my little brother." Ash instantly narrowed his eyes and glowered slightly at Max.

"Yeah, we met."

"You see, my dad is the leader of the Petalburg gym." Oh that makes sense. Wait, May knew that her dad was the leader of the Petalburg gym and she didn't tell us?! Now that's foul play right there.

"Okay, so that means the Petalburg gym is where you come from May?" Ash accused darkly and she gave a guilty smile.

"Well uh…yes."

"We really appreciate you two bringing May all the way home." Caroline told us with a voice and smile that instantly diffused all tension around us so Ash smiled back.

"Sure but really we didn't do anything at all." Suddenly Max was standing in front of us and pointing.

"Mom, dad, these guys both lost in the Silver Conference second round!" I clamped my hand over Max's mouth and restrained him with a peace filled smile.

"Well, it was the victory rounds." I amended, still holding Max as he struggled to try and break free. "I'm Ruby and this is my best friend Ash. We're both from Pallet Town in the Kanto region." I introduced and we both bowed our heads respectfully to our elders. "It's nice to meet you." Ash and I chorused together and May's parents both smiled and nodded their heads.

"Tell me May, what Pokémon did you end up getting from Professor Birch anyway?" Norman asked and May smiled.

"You'll see. Torchic! Come on out!" She sent out her Pokéball and her cute little Torchic appeared with a chirp.

"Torchic!"

"What?!" Max yelled, licking my hand to finally get free and I yelped in disgust then wiped my hand clean on Ash's shoulder. "Why'd you pick _that_? If it were me, I'd definitely would have picked a Treecko." He told us as he looked closely at Torchic, crouching on the floor. Suddenly Torchic glared.

"Torchic!" Without warning it powered into Max and began to Peck furiously at him, making him yell and kick his limbs as May stared in shock.

"Torchic stop that right now!" I laughed.

"Or keep going. Whichever you prefer."

"I think Torchic is a fine Pokémon to start out with." Norman said simply, looking down at Torchic with a simple but pleased nod of his head, obviously agreeing with his daughter's choice.

"And May, it's cute as a button." Max however was still not impressed as he leaned forwards, peering closely at Torchic.

"Man, I just wish I could get my own Pokémon. I'd just love to have a Treecko." In answer Torchic instantly began to peck at him again, making him curl up and protect his head as I blinked. Okay, maybe _that_ was pushing it a little too far Torchic.

"Ash, Ruby, why don't you two join us for lunch? You must be starved." Caroline suggested and we both nodded our heads.

"Thanks, that'd be great." We both accepted the offer then joined the family in their house where we sipped on delicious soup and warm bread freshly baked. It doesn't get much better than this, unless Brock's cooking of course.

"So you two, May tells me you've both been travelling for a long time." Caroline said, striking up a conversation and Ash lifted his head.

"Oh yeah, we've been to a lot of places."

"And seem some really awesome Pokémon." I added, my mind wandering back to the Ho-oh we'd both seen, leading us to Hoenn in the first place.

"That sounds so cool. I'd love to go to different places too." Max said with a wistful expression and my heart bled for him. I remember being just like him, excited and impatient to get started on my own journey with my own Pokémon.

"And have you travelled all alone?" Caroline continued.

"I did for a while at the beginning of my journey." I told her, putting down my spoon for a moment. "But after I ran into Ash again, as well as some other great friends of ours, I decided to stick around. After that we've been travelling together everywhere." I explained. "And Ash always had Pikachu, and I always had my Pokémon, so we were never alone."

"Well that's good. Travelling with friends is always so much easier." Norman said with a smile. "And your Pokémon too, of course."

"Oh yeah, and it's a lot more fun too." Ash agreed before taking a bite out of a sandwich which was set on the table as Max leaned in closer.

"I sure wish I could go travelling around with a bunch of my good buddies, that would be great." He said with that same dreamy expression, probably imagining himself on the road with a Treecko.

"Dad, Ash would like to have a gym battle with you." May revealed and Norman lifted his head.

"Of course Ash. So, how many badges have you earned so far?"

"This will be the first one." He told him determinedly, no fear in his expression.

"So you're just getting started."

"Yes. So what are the rules?" Ash asked but Max gave him a hard glare, getting a little too close and personal once more.

"I already told you it's a three on three elimination, remember?" And Ash instantly frowned, turning politely back to Norman.

"Excuse me, is that really true?"

"Yes." Uh oh. That could be a problem. Since we've only been in Hoenn for a short while, we'd hadn't any chance to capture any new Pokémon. Ash clutched his face with a groan, feeling his spirits drop.

"Oh…I don't have any Pokémon besides Pikachu."

"What? You've only got one little Pokémon?" Max questioned sceptically then smirked. "No wonder you lost in the…" I clamped my hand over his mouth to stop him from talking, though he garbled into my hand.

"How about we keep the know it all stuff to yourself, huh?" I gave him a glare as Norman continued, unworried that I may be at the point of strangling his son.

"But if you were able to compete in the Silver Conference, then you must have lots of Pokémon." He reasoned but Ash shook his head.

"I do but I decided to leave them all back in Pallet Town." He explained. "What I really wanted to do is to start off right from the beginning, and only use those Pokémon that I capture here, in the Hoenn region." Norman nodded in understanding.

"Admirable plan young man."

"So as soon as I get more Pokémon, I'll come back." Ash said determinedly, standing up in his seat and clenching a fist determinedly so I grabbed his jacket and yanked him back down into his seat.

"Cool it genius, you're not going to capture anything on an empty stomach." I told him and he nodded his head.

"Good point." And with that, he began to stuff his face.

"So what are you planning on doing here Ruby? Are you in for the Hoenn League too? As I understand it, you're an impressive battler." Norman asked me but I shook my head.

"No, my time here is going to be studying new ways to bond with my Pokémon. I only brought three with me from Kanto this time, as I wanted to start over again like Ash did. I brought my started Pokémon, one that I'm raising as a baby and another who just didn't want to leave me, so I brought her along too." I said with a smile. "I'm sure I'll figure out something, the Hoenn region is going to have lots of new Pokémon I can look at and study."

"That's right. Some you can only find here. I wish you good luck." Norman said and I gave him a smile of thanks. Suddenly there was a loud thundering boom and crack, the sound of something splitting and we all cried out as the table shook violently, dust pouring inside before settling. "What?!"

"Prepare for trouble from a hole in the wall!" Jessie called and I blinked, coughing on the dust as I turned to see Team Rocket standing there.

"Make it double, you're in for a brawl." Not them again! Did they actually follow us here all the way from Johto and Kanto? Now that's determination.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all people within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above." Both Jessie and James chanted, starting in their usual way with the flair and style that could only be Team Rocket.

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket makes a mad dash at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now to these great effects or prepare to fight."

"Meowth, that's right!" Meowth popped up as Team Rocket all smirked at us.

"Team Rocket!" Ash and I both chorused, leaping to our feet with a hearty glare. They totally ruined our lunch with this nice family. Well, almost nice. Max seems a little hard to swallow.

"Oh, are these some friends of yours? How wonderful! We're always happy to welcome May's friends." Caroline said with a greeting bow but I just slapped my head before turning to her.

"No Caroline, these are the bad guys. They steal Pokémon! Or at least try to, they're so lame they always seem to mess things up." I said with a look at Jessie who instantly growled.

"I reject that statement! We do not always screw things up!" Stamping her foot she turned to James. "Now let's get them before everything falls apart! Go Arbok!" She called and James sent out his own Pokémon.

"Go Weezing!" My hand jumped for a Pokéball. Finally. Some ring practice! However before I could move May had leaped forwards with Ash.

"Okay Torchic, time to battle! I choose you!" She called, sending out her Torchic and I blinked in surprise. Well she's definitely grown some spunk since we first met her. I'll give her credit for that, but going against Team Rocket with a new little Torchic? They may be dumb but they can be strong, especially against someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

"Pikachu, you're up." Ash called as James smirked.

"Weezing, use Smokescreen!" The entire kitchen suddenly filled with smoke and instantly I began to cough, unable to see a thing through Team Rocket's clever cloak, keeping them from sight.

"Now if you don't mind, we'll just be taking your Pikachu." I heard Jessie crow and I growled under my breath. That's what they think. If only I had Pidgeot to blow away the smoke! Charizard was way too big to fit in here, he'd ruin most of the house if I let him out!

Finally as the smoke cleared away, I blinked to find Pikachu standing right in front of me, head tilted to the side in confusion. "Pika?"

"Pikachu. You're still here?" I questioned, kneeling down next to him and rubbed his head as I looked around. "How come Team Rocket didn't take you?"

"Pikachu." He answered in equal confusion.

"Agh!" May screeched and our heads all turned to her. "My Torchic is gone!" She cried out and instantly everyone was on their feet.

"What?!" We ran for the gap in the wall and looked up to find Team Rocket had already gone. Dang it! They're getting a little _too_ clever. Maybe Ash and I will have to watch our step from now on. May looked around with tears in her eyes then dropped to the ground in defeat.

"Now what do I do? I just got that Torchic!" I stepped forwards and knelt down, placing an arm around her as she cried.

"Don't cry May, we'll get Torchic back." I assured her. "Ash and I have dealt with Team Rocket before and they never end up winning with my brains and also my brawn." I said then shot a smirk at Ash. "I guess he's handy from time to time."

"Hey, no fair!" Ash smirked but nodded his head. "Ruby's right. We'll get Torchic back. That's a promise, from a friend to a friend." He assured her and she looked up, sniffing and wiping her eyes.

"Really?"

"Sure." We both said in unison, wearing matching smiles before helping her to stand up. "Now let's go!"

"Am I the only one freaked out how they can do that?" Max asked as we ran on ahead, referring to how Ash and I can speak the same thing at the same time, almost like twins. We ran out of the city in the direction of the wind, knowing it would have blown the balloon that way before we stopped.

"Your mom and I will go this way." Norman said to May. "Right honey?"

"You go it." She said with an easy smile before the two of them ran off together, searching for Team Rocket.

"Knowing my dad, I bet they find him." Max said proudly as he stood with us.

"Your parents are really cool May." Ash complimented and May nodded her head simply.

"Yeah."

"If only I had my Noctowl with me, this search thing would be a piece of cake!" He said in frustration and I sighed, folding my arms to look down at the ground.

"My Pidgeot too. I really miss them all." I said with a scuff of my shoe. However when I looked to the left slightly, it was to find Max examining the ground with a spyglass.

"Hmm…they sure didn't leave any tracks behind." He said and I arched an eyebrow at him. He was…joking, right? He did know about the balloon?

"Perhaps that's because they flew off in a balloon! Ash told us so!" May reminded him and Max looked up.

"Oh, that's right." So he leaped to his feet instead. "Then it's time to get the old noggin out of neutral, and come up with a flawless theory!" Max declared before striking a pose and pointing at Ash. "And with Ash as my right hand man, we'll solve this in no time!" May seemed to have had enough, however.

"Give me a _break_!" With that she knocked her fist on her brother's head, making him freeze in place before his eyes began to tear up. Oh no, please no. Not that. Anything but that! Too late.

"Wagh! May hit me I'm telling!" He yelled, crying on the ground and kicking both his legs and feet. Ash panicked, looking alarmed and unsure of what to do so he tried to speak in a tender voice.

"Max don't cry."

"He's just faking it." May told us shortly and sure enough, Max jumped back to his feet, wearing a placid expression as he shifted his glasses further back up the bridge of his nose.

"Well sooner or later that fake crying stuff was bound to get old." He noted to himself as suddenly, Norman and Caroline reappeared behind us, making us all leap out of our skins.

"Kids! We've located the balloon." Norman told us and we all instantly gave a sigh of relief.

"Don't worry, we'll get Torchic back." Caroline assured May who instantly beamed feeling a lot better than before as Norman led the way. The balloon was located conspicuously in the middle of the road without any sign of Team Rocket.

"There." Norman pointed and Ash nodded his head.

"Yup, that's it."

"My poor little Torchic!" May gasped, seeing it sat in its cage in front of the balloon. Now if this isn't a trap, I'll eat my hat. May suddenly surged forwards with Max following close behind, running forwards without even thinking.

"Hey wait! Not so fast! Be careful! It could…" Both Ash and I called after them but as we did so, they fell into one of Team Rocket's carefully and well planned holes, the ground collapsing from beneath them. "…be a trap." We both finished.

"I'm coming!"

"Me too!" Both Norman and Caroline surged forwards at their children's danger, again before either Ash or I could stop them.

"There might be…!" They fell into another hole, also dug perfectly just before the first one, having been weakened by May and Max trampling over it. "Ugh. Another trap." Ash clutched his face and shook his head as I sighed. Well, at least our past experiences with Team Rocket have been useful. Sort of.

"Looks like you fell for it!" Jessie chanted as the team appeared, Meowth dancing on top of Torchic's cage as it whimpered fearfully and sadly. Both Ash and I leaped out of the bushes, Ash standing to take care of Team Rocket as I pulled out my trusty rope then tossed it into the hole where May and Max were.

"You guys are through!" I heard Ash yell.

"Don't worry guys, I'll get you out." I said and Max sniffed, looking up at me with a winsome expression.

"Ruby, I'm sorry about all the mean things I said. Just please get me out of here!" He wailed as May started to climb up.

"You can do it Max, just follow May." I told him as May reached out a hand for her little brother.

"Grab on Max!" He sniffed then gripped May's hand, letting her lift him up onto her back where I then dug in my feet to keep myself grounded, glad that I worked and trained hard because I at least had the muscle to keep them from slipping back in. "What's a hole doing here?" May asked as Max groaned, clinging onto his sister tightly.

"Oh it's one of Team Rocket's traps. You'll get used to it. I'm yet to fall into one though, I leave that stuff to Ash." I said with a smile, coiling up my rope as I saw Pikachu take out Arbok by simply powering into him. "Hey! Are you two okay?" I called over to Norman and Caroline who managed to pull themselves out, being taller than us kids.

"We're fine." Norman said, climbing out then pointed angrily at Team Rocket. "How dare you steal someone else's Pokémon?! Much less stealing my little girl's _first_ Pokémon!" Aw that was cute, I love seeing dads getting all over protective over their daughters, it's one of the cutest things ever!

"Looks like a big bad mad dad." Jessie noted with arms folded across her chest.

"I ain't scared!" Meowth declared, which only challenged Norman's temper.

"Oh yeah?" He questioned before pulling out a Pokéball. "Vigoroth! Go!" With that a white monkey like Pokémon appeared, one with long claws and a sloping brow. It flung out its clawed hands then charged at Arbok, knocking him aside easily.

"So you want to play rough? Weezing, go!" James called and his Weezing moved in for the hit.

"Okay Vigoroth, use Scratch attack!" Norman directed and I watched as the Vigoroth instantly began swiping its long claws at Weezing, jerking its head from side to side as I noticed Max creeping forwards, slinking over to Torchic then grabbed the cage, taking it over to May. Okay, so he's not so bad.

Just then Arbok used Wrap attack on Vigoroth, pinning him down in place and Norman gasped aloud. "Vigoroth, no!"

"Pikachu, Vigoroth needs help, let's go!" Ash called and Pikachu slammed into Arbok from the back, causing it to jerk forwards but still didn't let go of Vigoroth. My hand slowly drifted towards a Pokéball. Should I?

"How dare you three do that to my sweet little Torchic?!" I heard May yell and my hand paused, turning to watch what she would do. "Torchic, go! Amber!" She directed but Max just looked at her funny.

"Uh…don't you mean Ember?" He corrected and she gave a little laugh.

"Oh yeah! That's right. Torchic, Ember." She redirected and Torchic leaped forwards, closing its eyes and began to spray tiny flames out of its beak. Only thing was, they went straight at Max and then on towards me, so I took off my hat and fanned them away easily as Max collapsed to the ground.

"Ugh…it's one thing to see Ember on TV, but another to feel it! I'm impressed." Meanwhile, Weezing and Arbok were for once gaining the upper hand over Pikachu and Vigoroth, who was still trapped and any attempts to try and help by Pikachu were blocked with Weezing and various attacks.

"Now let's see, what else?" May murmured, trying to think of more attacks so I sighed. Maybe I should just step in.

"Charizard, it's show time!" I called, spinning around then threw out my Pokéball. "Let's teach Team Rocket not to steal other people's Pokémon!" Charizard roared as he appeared, flapping his wings which created a huge gust of air.

"Cool!" Max yelled as he leaped to his feet, gazing up at my admittedly rather impressive Charizard as he glared down at Team Rocket. "I can't believe I'm seeing your Charizard in real life, it's more impressive than before! Oh please do the dance thing again, please?!" He begged but I just threw out a hand, smirking as I looked at Team Rocket.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" I called out and Charizard instantly blasted a hot plume of fire at Weezing, sending him flying backwards into Arbok, who in his shock released Vigoroth and the two of them sailed back, collapsing into their trainers and crushed them to the ground as they cried out in alarm. "Now Charizard, use Fire Blast!"

"No way!" Max cheered in excitement as Charizard made a powerful fire symbol, roaring as he sent it forwards, Ash smirking as he pointed ahead.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Pika…CHUUUUU!" Pikachu leaped up into the air and combined the attacks, making the symbol crackle with electricity before exploding against the balloon and the sheer force made Team Rocket go flying up into the air, Jessie's whine still ringing in my ear until they all cried out together.

"We're blasting off again!"

"And that is how you do it." I said proudly, folding my arms and smirking. "That sure showed them." Charizard nudged me playfully, almost sending me sprawling before he began to lick my face, making me giggle and cling onto his snout in a hug as he growled affectionately then rubbed into my cheek. "I sure love you Charizard, you know that right?" He nodded his head firmly in answer so I giggled then kissed his cheek. Suddenly I had Max darting all about me.

"Wow your Charizard is so tall! And those fire attacks were awesome! Can I touch it? Can I have a ride? Can you show me more of its moves? How's its defence? Did you ever teach it how to use any flying type moves? How strong do you think it is?" He rattled off question after the question and Charizard glared at him, pulling away from me slightly though his head remained at my level.

"Easy there." I cooed softly. "He's just a little kid." He grunted. "No, you cannot barbeque him into a kebab." He gave me a look and I chuckled. "No, not even a little singe. Just be nice." I told him before reaching out and clamping my hand down on Max's mouth. "Hey Max, if you promise to be quiet? I'll let you have a ride on my Charizard some time."

"No WAY! Really? You'll let me! Wow thanks Ruby, you're the greatest!" He cheered before bounding off, excited for his promised ride and Charizard shot me an accusing look, arching an eyebrow at me so I laughed then held up my hands.

"Hey, what else do you want me to do?" I questioned before lifting his Pokéball. "I think you'd better return before you start setting fire to things." He grunted softly before returning to his ball, disappearing but before I put the Pokéball back on my belt, I gave it a quick kiss. "Love you."


	8. Chapter 8

"Well, I guess it's time for you two to get going. Do you have everything?" Caroline asked us and we all nodded our heads.

"Don't worry mom." May said simply with a smile just before her little brother turned up.

"Since you don't know anything about Pokémon, _I_ should go to!" He decided, standing in front of us with a yellow backpack on his back and a face that looked ready for adventure, however we all balked in shock.

"Huh?!"

"Hm. Your brother does know a lot about Pokémon." Norman agreed. "And he might just be a big help to you."

"And a lot less worry for me." Caroline added with a sweet smile, clasping her hands together and holding them to her cheek.

"Ash, Ruby, would it be too much of a bother if Max travelled along with you and May?" Norman asked us and I gave a long look at Max. Travel with us? This little squirt? But he's such a little pipsqueak! Let alone an annoying know it all, does he have to?

"That's fine. Okay Pikachu?" Ash asked and Pikachu nodded his head.

"Pikachu."

"Thank you Ash." May said to him before looking at me. "What do you say Ruby?" I arched an eyebrow, looking down at Max as he turned around and gave me a pleading look. I don't know about this. It could be dangerous, and without any Pokémon of his own to protect him in case of danger, he'll be relying on us to look out for him. It could get pretty rough. "Well?" May pressed and I saw all of the passion for Pokémon and the ardent yearning to go with us burning in Max's eyes.

"Sure!" I finally said, giving a smile and a wink to Max who instantly beamed. "The more the merrier, right Ash?"

"Right." He agreed with a smile but then I suddenly had Max throwing his arms around me.

"Thank you Ruby! I promise you won't regret this!" He told me and I blinked before chuckling and ruffling his hair gently.

"Okay squirt. I'll hold you to that." I said to him sternly before he let go and Norman stepped forwards.

"I have something for you Ash, May." He told them then held out two identical cases. "A badge case to put your winning gym badges." Suddenly May's face fell, looking at the case then took the top one whereas Ash was all smiles and joy.

"Thanks a lot Norman! This is cool. Let's go do our best May!" Ash practically yelled and she leaned back away from him with a forced smile.

"Yeah, sounds good." She agreed hesitantly.

"And son, this is for you." Norman said then handed him a yellow object with a blue button, however Max instantly gasped.

"Really? For me? Oh wow!" He cheered, taking it quickly to smile at it as Ash leaned in for a closer look, confusion on his features.

"So what is it?" He asked and Max pressed the button to reveal a screen, which shone brightly.

"A Pokémon Navigator, I've been wanting one for the whole of my life!" Max said with bright eyes as Norman chuckled.

"With one of those, you'll always know exactly where you are." Norman informed us and I laughed.

"With Ash around, that's going to be a priceless tool. He always gets us lost." I informed as he gave a guilty smile and rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah…"

"Ruby dear, this is for you." Caroline said then smiled. "You didn't think we'd forgotten you now, did you?" She teased as I blinked in surprise.

"No Caroline, of course not. Thank you so much." I said then looked to what she was holding out to me. It was little silver Latias charm, much like the ones I already wore on my bracelet and I instantly smiled widely. "No way! I've been looking for one of these for ages!"

"I noticed you didn't have one. Your Latias is a very adorable Pokémon, make sure you take good care of it." Caroline said as she clipped on the charm to hang next to the one I'd gotten of Dragonair. "All of you take care. Stay safe!" She said, quickly wiping away a tear to then smile lovingly at her children.

"I suggest you go to the closest gym from here, and that's Rustboro City." Norman informed us as we all nodded our heads.

"Okay! Goodbye!" We all cheered, waving behind us as we walked down the path which led us to our next city, Max looking at his navigator to lead the way. We all walked in comfortable silence, smiling and greatly anticipating all the adventures and fun times that lay before us, which we would all experience together.


	9. Chapter 9

"Odd." Max mused as he looked through his binoculars and gazed up at the sky. "I can't see a single Pokémon anywhere." We were walking through Petalburg woods and I hadn't stopped hearing May's stomach growling for at least half an hour.

"Any…chance…that we'll be…stopping for lunch soon?" She asked Ash tentatively, with large and pleading eyes.

"But I haven't even seen one Pokémon yet!" Max argued with a sad expression and Ash looked at him in surprise.

"Did you think you could just look up and see one whenever you wanted to Max?" He questioned the little squirt. "It doesn't work that way."

"But I've always heard Petalburg forest is always so full of Pokémon you can't miss them! I wonder if we're in the wrong part of the woods." He said thoughtfully but then May grabbed Ash's arm.

"Hey, Ash, let's eat lunch!" Then her brother grabbed Ash's other arm, yanking him back the other way.

"No! Let's go a different way!" He argued as his sister then began to pull back, using Ash like a rag doll in a game of tug of war.

"No! It's time for lunch Ash!"

"Not until we see Pokémon!"

"Lunch!"

"Pokémon!"

"Lunch!"

"Pokémon!"

"ENOGUH!" I roared, shoving out my hands against the two of their faces and shoved them apart, forcing them to let go of Ash who dropped to the ground, groaning weakly. "First we'll eat some lunch, so then we have plenty of energy to go look for some awesome Pokémon. Got it?" I gave the siblings a stern look and they both beamed happily.

"Yeah!" So we found three stones where everyone sat down, Ash moving over so that there was enough room for me.

"We needed a break anyway and besides, the best way to go Pokémon hunting is on a full stomach." He said to Max who shifted his glasses.

"Well I guess I was getting kinda hungry." He allowed.

"I'm so hungry I could eat a Tauros." May said and both Ash and Max chuckled with a smile, though no one moved to grab lunch. After a moment everyone's face dropped. "So Ash, where's lunch?" May asked but Ash turned to Max.

"I thought you were carrying it Max." But he blinked and turned to his sister instead.

"I thought you were going to grab it May." Suddenly shock dawned on everybody's face. Oh great.

"You mean…"

"There's…"

"No lunch?!" May finished for Ash and Max, gripping her head in horror as her belly rumbled. I looked over to Pikachu who was rummaging around in Ash's bag before pulling out his pot of food with a triumphant smile.

"Pika!" Everyone slumped down with sullen and dejected expressions.

"You're the professional traveller Ash, I'm surprised you'd forget something like our _food_." May told him with a low head.

"She has a point." Max agreed but Ash tried to defend himself.

"Come on!" Meanwhile I was busy rummaging around in my bag as Ash's belly rumbled. "Alright. Guess I messed up." He conceded as Pikachu pulled off the cap to his lunch.

"Pikachu." When he saw it was empty, however, he leaped up in horror. "Pika! Pika, Pika? Chuuu!" Pikachu fainted from the shock, collapsing to the ground and Max sighed before lowering his head further.

"Guess we're out of Pokémon food too."

"I'm sorry Pikachu." Ash said as I continued to mind my own business, bringing out a couple of things from the depths of my bag. "It's too bad Brock didn't come along with us." Ash said and I chuckled. That's true. Brock always took good care of us.

"Brock?" May questioned.

"Brock who?"

"A friend Ruby and I were travelling with before. Knows lots about Pokémon. But he really knows how to cook too." He said, leaning back as he dreamed of all the amazing foods we used to have with Brock cooking for us. May reached out and yanked his cap down.

"Sorry I'm so useless compared to him." I chuckled.

"Well, maybe it's a good thing he taught me everything he knows about food. Right?" I questioned and suddenly I had four pairs of pleading eyes gazing up at me, watering with need as they knelt at my feet.

"You have food?" Max gasped as May smiled.

"You're an angel, I love you forever!" She declared and I smiled before lifting up a box of pre-made sandwiches. "Yay! Lunch!"

"Go on and help yourselves. Rice balls are the greatest." Pikachu beamed happily as I picked one out specially for him. "And Pikachu, I made this one just for you. It's got ketchup in it for some added flavour." Pikachu leaped at me and began nuzzling my face, squealing with joy before sitting on my shoulder and munching at his rice ball, devouring it hungrily as everyone tucked in. After they were all gone, there was a collective sigh of content, though Max moved over to his bag and began to rummage around in it.

"I'm still hungry…" I guess my food just isn't as filling as Brock's is. Guess he really is the better cook, though I make awesome desserts!

"What have you got in there?" May asked, surging forwards and peering over her brother's shoulder as he pulled out a box.

"Chocolate cookies!" Ash yelled with a bright expression, also leaning forwards.

"Of course you're going to share with your sister." May said hintingly but when Max opened up the box, it was to reveal that there was only one cookie stick left.

"Only one." The others all deflated in disappointment.

"Only one?"

"Sorry, it's my emergency stash!" Max explained but Ash wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"So if we split it, then we each get one bite!" He calculated and May nodded her head with a smile, agreeing to the decision, however before anyone could take a bite, something flew forwards at incredible speed and snatched it from Max's hand.

Without warning everyone was suddenly running. "Yeah! I finally found a Pokémon!" The squirt yelled joyously as his sister ran in hot pursuit.

"It stole my chocolate!"

"What _is_ that Pokémon?" Ash yelled after them as I sighed, rolled my eyes then hurried to catch up.

"A Taillow." Max answered simply.

"Taillow?" Ash blinked then pulled out Dexter where we both listened to the information that had been downloaded for us.

"Taillow, the tiny swallow Pokémon. Taillow has a fierce personality, never backing down even against the most powerful opponent." Now that's some spunk. I like it. And it dared to snatch food away from May, so that's got to mean that Pokémon had some real guts.

"Give back that chocolate!" She ordered, racing past us. Even me! Wow, now that's determination.

"Careful May, where there's one Taillow, there's always a whole flock of 'em!" Max warned. The Taillow landed on a branch, back facing us and began to munch on the chocolate it had stolen from us.

"Give us back that chocolate you robber! I want it back! Give it back!" May yelled but when the Taillow swallowed the last bite, she yelled in frustration. "Agh! It ate the whole thing."

"Guess that Taillow must have been really hungry." Ash said simply.

"Yeah. I wonder if my chocolate cookie filled it up." Max wondered thoughtfully as May dropped to the ground.

"We're hungry too." Guess I'll have to make some more food then.

"Hey! Taillow! How did you like my chocolate?" Max called up and the Taillow spread its wings.

"Taillow Taillow!" It chirped happily, obviously meaning it had enjoyed it a lot.

"I'm glad _you_ enjoyed it." May said unhappily so Ash tried to comfort her with reason.

"Don't worry May, I'm sure we can get some food in the next town." Looking around I sighed then whacked Ash on the back of the head, making him yelp before falling flat on his front.

"If you'd like to open your eyes, genius, you'll see that these trees are full of apples. If you're hungry then I suggest we start picking a few." I told them all with a shake of my head, placing one hand on my hip as both Max and May leaped forwards.

"We're saved!"

"Watch out tummy, here it comes!"

"Pikachu, help us knock down some of that fruit!" Ash directed and Pikachu instantly tucked in his arms, using his bolts of electricity to strike the trees and hit down the apples, which May and Max instantly ran to try and catch.

However before any of them could be caught, a whole flock of Taillow appeared and caught the apples in their beaks, protectively hoarding them away from us which only made May cry again.

"Oh no! Not again!" The Taillow all gathered together, glaring at us angrily however one rather suspicious looking one had chocolate smeared all around its mouth.

"This is bad, I think they're angry." Ash noted, looking at the fierce Taillow who all called out to one another.

"It almost looks like they're about to attack." Max stated so I lay a protective hand on his shoulder, ready to pull him back out the way if that was the case.

"They got their fruit back, so what's the problem?" May questioned, tucking her hands under her neck as she looked up a little fearfully at the Pokémon flock.

"I think they're upset because we might be in the middle of their territory!" Ash concluded and I nodded my head.

"I think you might be right Ash." I said to him, narrowing my eyes fearlessly at the Taillow as they tried to intimidate us. "And because we tried to eat some of their fruit, it's made them mad."

"What should we do?" May asked nervously and Ash gulped.

"Well, I guess we could try apologising?" But with that, the Taillow covered in chocolate gave the order and the bird Pokémon all dived at us, taking a steep descent and aimed straight for us and Ash bravely stepped in front of us as I pushed May and Max down, the two of them clinging to one another as both Ash and I shielded them.

"Ash! Can't you do something?!" May yelled in fear as she covered Max's head.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash turned to Pikachu who instantly charged up his power.

"Pika…CHUUUUU!" His attack hit every single one of the Taillow directly and because of its great power, they all dropped to the ground in exhaustion.

"That was close." May said as she and Max stood up.

"Good thing electric attacks are so effective against flying Pokémon." The little brainbox noted to us all.

"That'll keep them down for a while." Ash assured everyone positively, but somehow he jinxed it, because at that moment the Taillow all opened their eyes and glared at us all, pushing on their wings to lift themselves up a little and we all exclaimed together.

"Argh! Do you think we woke them up?" May questioned quietly.

"But how could they have recovered so quickly?!" Max yelled as he gripped onto my jacket tightly, hiding behind me as the Taillow all flew back into the air and charged at us once more.

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt 'em!" Pikachu repeated the same attack but this time the Taillow shook it off, looking even more exhausted than before but still intent on getting us for invading their territory. Suddenly a fresh wave of Taillow appeared, obviously answering the call of their fellow flock and aimed their glares straight at us. "That didn't affect them!"

"How is that possible? Pikachu scored a direct hit!" Max exclaimed as we all backed into a circle.

"Remember what the Pokédex said? Taillow are fierce and they won't back down no matter how strong the opponent." Ash reminded everyone so I nodded my head.

"In that case, let's use some brain instead of brawn. Jigglypuff! Use Sing!" I called and Jigglypuff instantly appeared, rising up into the air before inflating her body and drifting to the ground.

"Jigglypuff!" She chirped then looked around her.

"Jigglypuff, use Sing on the Taillow before we become their dinner! Hurry!" I told her and she nodded her head with a determined expression.

"Jiggly." She took a deep breath and was about to start singing when one of the Taillow slammed its wing into her, knocking her back. "Puff!" She yelled then leaped back to her feet, glaring angrily up at the Taillow, annoyed they'd ruined her concert moment. "Jigglypuff Puff!" She leaped up into the air and inflated her body before using Double Slap on Taillow that had attacked her.

"No Jigglypuff, not Double Slap, Sing!" I tried to remind her but her pride stood in the way, so I clapped a hand to my face. "Why bother?"

"Pikachu watch out!" Ash yelled as the Taillow covered in chocolate dived bombed Pikachu, coming in for another attack. "Thunderbolt!" But again it was shaken off and the Taillow squawked, calling its troops to arms as Jigglypuff landed on the ground before me.

"You know, that one looks like it might be the leader!" May said as we all watched it circle around once.

"Well the chocolate moustache on its beak also means it's the one who started this!" Max added with a glare before whimpering and hiding in May's arms. Suddenly they all dived for us.

"They're closing in!"

"Jigglypuff, Sing now!" I called and she took a deep breath, however someone else called out an attack, and it was a voice Ash and I knew all too well.

"Forretress, Explosion!" No way!

"Forretress." Our little bug friend said blankly before exploding with a bright flash of white, causing it to knock out all the Taillow around us but also cover us in a layer of grime. When the dust and aftermath disappeared, we were left staring at the guy who'd rescued us.

"Hey, it's Brock." Ash said rather dumbly as the others both blinked.

"This is Brock?" They both questioned and Jigglypuff blinked.

"Puff? Jigglypuff!" She then glared angrily and flew at Brock, using Double Slap on his face as he yelled.

"Hey! What's-the-big-i-d-e-a?" He demanded with each slap until I was able to pull Jigglypuff off of him.

"Sorry! You just kind of interrupted her next concert." I explained with a guilty look. "But thanks Brock! You came just in time!"

"No problem. We should get out of here before the Taillow come around. Follow me everyone. Forretress return! Good job." He said with a smile, having rubbed his face to massage it from Jigglypuff's harsh treatment.

"Jiggly." She glared and inflated in my arms so I sighed and returned her.

"Thanks for your help Jigglypuff, you're a star as always." I told her cheerfully before following the others.

"Taillow!" One of the birds squawked and suddenly, the Taillow with the chocolate covered mouth appeared in front of us, blocking our way. "Taillow!"

"Incredible! It just got back up!" Seeing this, I quickly nudged Ash.

"Catch it Ash, the Taillow will be a great Pokémon for your Hoenn team!"

"Right! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, go!" Ash directed and Pikachu instantly leaped forwards, jumping up into the air but this time, Taillow was smart enough to dodge and even used Wing Attack on Pikachu, knocking him backwards. "Pikachu, hang on!" Ash called. "Don't let go and then use Thunderbolt!"

"Pika…CHUUUU!"

"Taillow!" The Taillow screeched before finally it gave out, fainting completely and began to tumble out of the sky.

"Now Ash!" I nodded so Ash quickly pulled out a Pokéball and threw it forwards.

"Pokéball go!" Before the Taillow could hit the ground, the Pokéball swallowed it up and Ash caught it, looking to the Pokéball as it shivered in his hand. Once, twice, three times, then clicked. "Alright! I just caught me a Taillow!" He cheered, holding it out with a huge smile and Pikachu leaped into the air, holding up two fingers in a victory sign.

"Pi Pikachu!"

"Nice going Ash!" Brock praised but then noticed the other Taillow beginning to stir. "We'd better hurry, let's go!"

"Right." We all chorused then followed after him. He led us to a river where we stopped at the side along the edge of the forest where he finally stopped and turned to face us.

"We should be safe along the side of the forest." He informed us with a smile. I noticed how he now wore different clothes. A loose brown and orange shirt rather than his body warmer. It looked good.

"Thanks Brock, we were lucky you were nearby." Ash told him before I stepped forwards.

"Speaking of which, what are you doing out here anyway?" I asked him. "Ash told me you went back home."

"I did go home, but everything was fine so I decided to come back out." He told us simply. "Then Professor Birch told me you guys were headed to Rustboro City so I decided to come out here and see if I could find you."

"Hey!" Ash shoved me out the way in his eagerness so I took a step back and smiled. "Does that mean we're going to travel together again?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind." He chuckled, stretching out a hand and shook it with Ash's.

"Best news I've had all day." Ash assured him before holding out a hand towards May and Max. "Let me introduce you to my new friends, this is May and her brother Max from Petalburg City. This is my friend Brock. He's training to become the world's best Pokémon breeder." Ash introduced the three of them.

"Hi there." May nodded her head and Max grinned broadly up at him.

"Hey Brock, nice to meet you! It's cool being a breeder, huh?"

"Yeah, I've still got a lot to learn though, but hi." Ash and I both lay a hand on either of Brock's shoulders.

"When we met Brock, he was the gym leader in Pewter City." I told them both and they both leaned forwards with interest.

"Wow really?"

"Our dad's a gym leader too." May told him and Ash nodded his head.

"Their dad is the gym leader in Petalburg City."

"So I guess that means you two both want to become gym leaders too." Brock said, arching an eyebrow questioningly but May touched her chin thoughtfully and Max hung his head.

"I don't know about that."

"I don't even have my first Pokémon yet." So Brock stepped forwards and knelt down so that he was at Max's level, giving a warm and friendly smile.

"Don't worry Max, that takes time. It'll happen before you know it." He assured him and Max nodded his head.

"Okay." Brock stood up and turned to face the both of us.

"That's why I left most of my Pokémon at home. So my brothers could practice."

"That's great Brock, way to go." I said with a smile before Max piped in with his enthusiasm.

"Your Forretress's Explosion attack was awesome!"

"Well thanks!" But by now May had slipped up to Brock and looked at him suspiciously and slightly pleadingly.

"Is it true what Ash told us about you? That you're a really good cook?" She asked and Brock hummed in answer, unsure of what to say. "So how's about a little sample?!" May requested lightly, stretching as I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, weren't my rice puff balls good enough for you?" I asked, pretending to be hurt but Max hit me with the blunt truth.

"They were good, but they weren't exactly filling." So I hung my head in shame.

"Fine. I guess I'll stick to baking desserts."

"That's a great idea. I'll cook us all some lunch." Brock said before patting me on the back and giving a laugh. "But if it's desserts you want, then Ruby is the one to ask. She makes the best brownies and pastries you could ever taste and she's pretty good at cake decorating too. And when it's hot, you should taste her homemade Ruby Ripple ice cream surprise." I brightened up a little and smiled at Brock.

"Thanks Brock." He winked at me.

"No problem."

"Ice cream? You can actually make ice cream? I can't wait!" May squealed then began to sigh and dream about all kinds of desserts as Brock began to rustle up some stew, having already given Pikachu his lunch which he'd picked up on the way out here, thinking it might be useful. Brock was now Pikachu's new best friend.

"I can't believe it. My first Pokémon in the Hoenn region." Ash said with a smile as he looked at his Pokéball which contained the Taillow. I walked over to him then stood with my medical kit.

"Ash, you should let it out. We need to make sure it's okay after fighting so hard with Pikachu." I told him so he stood up.

"Oh, right. Come on out Taillow." As I suspected, the Taillow was exhausted, hardly able to stand and it gasped for breath, sweat dripping from every feather. "It's alright now Taillow, we're not going to hurt you." Ash told it gently as I knelt down and pulled out some Super Potion.

"This will make you feel better, I promise." I told it in a soft voice. "And then I've got some special Pokémon food that I know you'll love. I used to make it all the time for my Pidgeot, who's also a flying type, so it's perfect for you." I explained and a sing song voice, keeping its concentration locked on me and not what I was doing. "My name's Ruby and this is Ash, he's the one who caught you. He's really excited to have you on his team and can't wait to see how awesomely strong you can be with a bit more training."

After I'd sprayed on the Super Potion and patted it gently dry, I gave it some water from a drip bottle which it sucked up greedily then pecked the food out of my hand, seeing as it smelled too good to ignore. "Some rest and then you'll be fine." I decided as Brock nodded his head in approval.

"Well Taillow, how do you feel to hitting road with us?" Ash asked and Taillow nodded its head, spreading its wings also as it chirped.

"Taillow!"

"Alright then, we're glad to have you!" Ash laughed as he rubbed away the chocolate from Taillow's beak. "Climb on!" Taillow fluttered its wings then landed on Ash's shoulder, squawking happily with a spread of its wings before settling.

"My name's Max, Taillow."

"Nice to meet you…" May said nervously whilst hiding behind Brock who smiled.

"There's no reason to hide you know." He told her kindly but she gave a forced smile.

"I'm not hiding. I'm introducing myself gradually." She excused so I chuckled before turning to Ash.

"Taillow, you're my very first Pokémon in the Hoenn region." He told it before celebrating. "Yeah! This Taillow is all mine!" He called out with a sign of victory as Pikachu leaped onto his back, copying his stance as the rest of us all chuckled then turned around to sniff the delicious stew Brock was making.

"So…does that mean it's ready?" Max asked hopefully, making me chuckle and ruffle his hair.

"You got it squirt. Come on, let's all go eat."


	10. Chapter 10

The forest looked beautiful. With bright sunshine lighting every leaf and brightening the path we were carefully following thanks to Max's navigator, I felt like there wasn't a thing in the world that could go wrong.

"I'm not happy!" But then May had to go open her big mouth.

"Aw come on May, we just finished taking a break." Ash said impatiently as May flopped to the floor.

"I wouldn't call that a break." She grumbled wearily and Ash caved in.

"Alright. Guess we'll just have to take another one then." He said finally but then Max's navigator began to beep loudly.

"Look guys! There's a Pokémon Centre just ahead!" He informed and instantly May was back on her feet, smile restored and also some of her energy.

"There is? Really?" Brock was at her side in a flash and grabbed her arm.

"In that case May, off we go then!" He cheered happily and I arched an eyebrow, placing both hands on my hips. I wonder what could have sparked this enthusiasm. It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain pink haired, nurse uniform wearing lady called Nurse Joy, would it? Of course not. No.

"Let go. You're hurting my arm!" May pulled back her arm the same moment Brock loosened his grip, sending May flying backwards but she stumbled into a tree which thankfully kept her from falling.

"Are you okay May?" I asked with concern and she nodded her head though as she stood, she rubbed her back.

"Yeah, but there's something weird sticking out of this tree." She informed so we all got closer for a better look. It looked like a part of a net, the bark of the trunk scratched up from it being launched from somewhere behind us.

"Yeah you're right." Ash said as Brock rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

"Wonder what it is." I knew. Way back in Kanto when in the Safari Zone, Fraiser warned me about this kind of thing and showed me all kinds of traps used by those who catch wild Pokémon and sell them.

"Poachers." I spat with disgust. "It's a poacher's trap."

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu called and we looked around to see that there were scratches and chunks of bark missing from the trunks of the trees.

"Something sure happened here. Are you sure it's poachers?" I nodded my head, clenching my fists tightly until they trembled and my eyes narrowed darkly into slits. I was unable to speak as my rage began to build. Whoever had done this must have been successful in capturing a number of Pokémon. If they harmed a single one of them, I swear I'll make them pay for it.

"Hey Ruby, calm down." Ash said, gently resting a hand on my shoulder. "We don't know what happened for sure, it could all just be a misunderstanding." He told me reasonably so I took a deep breath and relaxed a little.

"You're right. But I'm going to find out." With that I strode forwards in the direction of the Pokémon Centre. Maybe the news bulletin would have something about poachers being sighted in the area, or I could call the local Officer Jenny to see if she knew anything. Even so, I didn't say another word all the way to the Pokémon Centre.

"Welcome everyone." Nurse Joy greeted with her signature warm smile and bright eyes, making Brock cry out in elation.

"Nurse Joy!" However May shoved him aside to greet her first, smiling happily.

"Hey there! Did they transfer you from Oldale Town Nurse Joy?" May asked but Nurse Joy only blinked in surprise. "May, remember? You really helped us out at the Pokémon Centre back there." She tried to remind the baffled Nurse Joy, who then smiled again.

"Well I don't see how that's possible, since I've never seen any of you before." She revealed and May took a step back in genuine confusion.

"Never? But you're Nurse Joy! Right?" She pressed, leaning over the counter but Nurse Joy wasn't at all confused anymore, seeing the mistake May had made.

"Right, but the Nurse Joy in Oldale Town that you know is my older sister."

"Really?"

"Cross my heart." Nurse Joy giggled and I looked down at Brock who feebly tapped his forefingers together as I crouched down where May had pushed him.

"So not fair. I didn't even get a chance to talk to her this time." I sighed before giving a smile, touching his shoulder.

"It's okay Brock, you'll get your turn. But if you goof off again, I'll be taking over Misty's job." I warned him before looking over to Max who showed his sister a picture of a group of Nurse Joys' all graduating from nursing school.

"Look at this May."

"Huh?! A bunch of Nurse Joys'!" She startled then looked at the Nurse Joy at the desk who smiled.

"Every Pokémon Centre in the country is run by a Nurse Joy and they all look exactly alike." Max told her studiously and I ruffled his hair with a chuckle.

"Well it seems like someone's being doing their homework." I said to him with a wink as he smiled brightly up at me.

"Please. You're so naïve!" Brock informed us and we looked at him as he turned his head slightly to gesture to Nurse Joy. "Nurse Joy's uniqueness is easily seen." He stated before taking both of her hands, making her blink in surprise. "It's completely obvious, I can tell the difference. Your bangs are a millimetre longer." How he noticed this tiny detail, I do not want to know.

"Awesome. Brock, you're amazing." Ash said with a laugh, impressed by our friend's closely accurate observation.

"Or just plain insane." I offered, placing a hand on my hip.

"Nurse Joy!" Someone called from the entrance and it was none other than Officer Jenny with her Growlithe, both of them standing to attention.

"Well look who it is." Nurse Joy said with a smile. "It's Officer Jenny."

"Not you too!" Brock suddenly flung himself forwards and I sighed, shaking my head as I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Here we go again."

"Ah well, hello there. I see your eyelashes are one tenth a bit longer than any other Jenny in the country." He sort of complimented her and she gave a shaky smile and laugh.

"Don't tell me. There's a bunch of Officer Jenny's too." May guessed and I nodded my head.

"That's right. They keep everyone in order and help keep the peace." I told her as Max found a photo of the Jenny's as well.

"You got it sis."

"I told you not to tell me!" She said, staring in shock at the number of Jenny's there were and how alike they were. Practically twins.

"Anyway, Nurse Joy I need to know if there have been any injured Pokémon brought to your centre recently." My interest peaked and I lifted my head, training my ears carefully on what was being said.

"Why no. But why do you ask?" Nurse Joy questioned.

"There have been reports of a poacher operating in this area." Officer Jenny informed and instantly I growled, anger spiking to unbelievable heights.

"I knew it!" I hammered a fist against the wall and the clock there shivered, almost dropping off the wall but it stayed firm as I blinked. "Oops, sorry."

"Based on his methods, I'd say it's this Pokémon poacher Rico." She said and instantly I took the photo and began to absorb every detail about him. The green here, sickly smirk, prominent nose and square jaw. I hated the guy already. "He thinks nothing of injuring Pokémon in order to catch them." That's when Ash showed her the net part we'd found in the forest.

"Look what we found."

"Oh dear. It's part of a capture net commonly used by poachers. Where did you find it?" Officer Jenny asked us all and so Ash told her.

"We found it in the forest on our way here."

"You've got to show me where." She told us so we nodded our heads then lead the way, though I kept a firm grip on Brock's shirt and dragged him up to the front away from Officer Jenny before he could go all goofy again.

"Come on Sherlock, it's time for you to help us solve a case. Not the mystery of which Jenny is which." I told him, barking slightly as I stormed my way back to the place we'd found the net piece.

"We found it right here." May said, stepping forwards and rested a hand against the exact same tree she'd bumped into.

"Pokémon hunters use these capture nets to immobilise Pokémon before catching them." Officer Jenny explained to us and I clenched my fists tightly again. That bone headed creep.

"I wonder if it hurts them." Ash worried as Brock lay a hand on my shoulder so I looked up at him. He didn't say anything, merely gave a single nod which I returned then took a deep breath to relax.

"Hey look! Tyre tracks." Max pointed, spotting the tracks which lead away from the scene, ones we hadn't spotted before.

"The poachers must be travelling by car, they're still fresh!"

"They couldn't have gotten very far from here." Brock added so I instantly laughed aloud, rushing forwards but stopped beside Max to fluff up his hair.

"Way to go squirt. Great detective work." I told him as Ash and I both grabbed a Pokéball.

"We'll search from the sky!"

"You bet. Charizard, I need you, now!" I called and both Taillow and Charizard appeared, spreading their wings and calling out. I climbed up onto Charizard's back eyes focused upwards. "Alright Charizard, we're looking for distressed Pokémon that have been captured by poachers. Let's go find them, free them then see how that poacher likes to be caught himself." Charizard grunted and nodded his head, spreading his wings and prepared to take off when Max called out.

"Wait! Can I come too?" He asked and we both looked at him in surprise as he pleaded with us. "You promised me a ride, and I want to help you!" I guess I did promise him, but it could be dangerous if we actually meet that poacher and I have to battle him.

"It's okay Ruby, I trust you to take care of Max. He'll be perfectly safe with you, especially with a Pokémon as strong and powerful as your Charizard." May added and Charizard lifted himself up proudly, agreeing with May's choice of words.

"Okay. But Max, you've got to promise to do exactly what I say when I say it. No questions, no fooling around. Got it?"

"Got it. I promise." Max assured me so I nodded to Charizard, who picked Max up easily in one hand then handed him to me and I settled him in front as we sat on Charizard's shoulders. "Whoa! This is cool!" I smiled.

"Hang on squirt, we're not even flying yet. Charizard, let's go!" With a roar Charizard leaped up into the air with a rush, making Max call out with a laugh, yelling at the top of his voice as I whooped, allowing the rush of adrenaline get to me as we rose up into the air then broke through the clouds with a tight spin, Charizard then opening his wings to soar.

"This is amazing!" Max yelled, letting go to hold his hands up in the air as I kept him stable. "Yeah!" Smiling I pulled out my camera then turned the lens around to face us. "Cheese!" He grinned as I poked my head over his shoulder, giving a smile before snapping the photo.

"Okay Charizard, show Max what you can do." I said as we both leaned forwards so Charizard dove back down, going in steep before pulling up at the last second over the treetops, stopping Max's yell as he sighed with relief.

"Okay, that was scary. But so awesome too!" I laughed then pointed down to the ground.

"Charizard, follow those tracks and fast!" I called and he instantly banked to follow its directions. Ahead I heard the explosions of something big, which instantly made Max lift his head.

"What's that?"

"It sounds like a battle. Hyper Beam if I'm correct, and a very angry Tyranitar." I can still remember the roar of Larvitar's mother. It's definitely a sound I won't forget for a long time. "Step on it Charizard!" He flapped his wings and we sped forwards, aiming straight for the sound of battle, where we finally came across…Team Rocket? No way! They were actually trying to help all those Koffing and Ekans escape.

ARGH! EKANS! NO, NO, NO! ANYTHING BUT EKANS!

I must have screamed aloud as Max suddenly looked at me with worry. "What's wrong Ruby?"

"I'm still a little scared of Ekans." I admitted with a shiver. "I was attacked by one as a kid."

"Oh, well don't worry! I'll protect you!" But then Max yelled. "Agh! I think I'd be more worried about that Tyranitar if I were you! It looks powerful!" Charizard instantly growled and I felt his determination, so I narrowed my eyes and leaned forwards.

"No way is it more powerful than my buddy Charizard. Okay Charizard, Fire Blast let's go!" Charizard roared, announcing his arrival and everyone looked up as Charizard swooped down then hit Tyranitar with a full body Fire Blast, forcing it back a couple of steps as I grabbed Max then leaped off of Charizard's back, landing in front of Team Rocket as they trembled on the floor, exhausted and hurt though their Arbok and Weezing hung back with their pre-evolved Pokémon friends.

"It's a twerp! And boy are we glad to see you. You gotta help us!" Meowth screeched in desperation as my Charizard faced Rico's Tyranitar.

"Yeah, for once we're trying to do the right thing!" James added as I glared at them slightly.

"Please twerp, from girl to girl, you've gotta help get these Ekans and Koffing somewhere safe!" Jessie tried. Of course, they _would_ have a soft spot for those Pokémon, because they used to have ones themselves. Finally I nodded my head then gave them a smile.

"Ruby Bates to the rescue. Don't worry guys, you're safe now." I assured them all before turning to Rico, one hand gripping Max's sleeve to make sure I could move him out the way if need be. "So Rico, you're the one who's been hurting all these Pokémon. Well I'm Ruby, and you're going to be under arrest very soon!"

"Oh yeah? And what's a little girl like you going to do about it? Your Charizard may be taller than average, but it's still smaller than my all powerful Tyranitar." He boasted which only made Charizard growl in anger as I pushed Max back and he moved away.

"You haven't seen anything yet. Charizard, Flamethrower!"

"Hyper Beam!" The Tyranitar made a quick fire Hyper Beam which cancelled out the Flamethrower, but as the explosion burst outwards it formed the perfect cover. Charizard flew forwards and body tackled the Tyranitar, locking claws and the two began to grapple as Team Rocket all cheered.

"Go Charizard go! Go Charizard go!"

"Argh! Tyranitar, use Thrash!" The Tyranitar began to beat at Charizard, who ducked and moved to avoid the blows, as his opponent kicked out wildly. It stepped towards Team Rocket, roaring in anger then lifted a foot up high and when I looked I saw Meowth and Max in direct line of fire.

"No!" I yelled and raced forwards, yelling aloud as I grabbed Max into my arms then Meowth also, tucking and rolling out the way as Charizard fought hand to hand, roaring then whipped out his tail to punch it into Tyranitar's face.

I held both Meowth and Max in my arms, shielding them both before I slowly uncurled and looked at them. "Are you two okay?"

"Yeah, thanks Ruby. I owe you one." Max said to me as Meowth just stared in surprise.

"What'd you save me for?" He asked so I gave him a genuine smile.

"You may be part of Team Rocket, and are always after Pikachu and our Pokémon, but you're still a Pokémon yourself, which means I have to protect you. It's part of being a trainer. But also because it was the right thing to do." I told him before handing them both some Super Potion. "Now, go around the Ekans and Koffing and start to heal them. They've been hurt bad but this will give them the strength to escape."

"Got it." Max nodded his head and ran over to the Pokémon, Meowth pausing a moment before growing serious.

"Right." I turned back to the fight and cried out in alarm to see Charizard being flung backwards, tossed against a tree which winded him greatly.

"Get up!" I yelled fearfully as Tyranitar prepared a Hyper Beam. "Charizard, use Fire Blast _now_!" Desperation gripped me and I flung it out to Charizard, letting my aura meld with his and he jerked awake, suddenly filled with a rush of energy which he used to use Fire Blast as a shield, letting it take most of the impact of the Fire Blast before getting up and flying at Tyranitar full speed, barrelling it backwards then whipped his head around to knock it down, though it retained balance.

 _Tail._ I murmured in my head, eyes closed as I slid a foot around in the circle, mirroring the movements and Charizard instantly copied as I sent the message through him. He turned around and whipped out his tail with full force, knocking out Tyranitar's feet and this time, landed it on the ground. _Now fly._ Spreading my arms I motioned the flap of wing with elegance and fluid grace, making Max gasp then stare in shock and wonder.

"She's doing it! She's doing the dance!" Charizard flew up into the sky, stopping once he had enough altitude. I brought my elbows in tightly to my sides and Charizard burst into flame with Inferno before diving downwards as I spun around and he combined the attack with Fire Spin for extra power, which made Max's eyes widen in awe. "Whoa…now that's awesome…"

"Hyper Beam!" Rico called out desperately but Charizard hit before Tyranitar could reach full power, ploughing into its chest and draining its power in one hit, making it cry out before falling backwards, no longer able to battle. I exhaled deeply then opened my eyes. Looks like it's over. "No! Tyranitar! Get up you useless Pokémon, get up and fight!"

"It's over." I told Rico who swallowed nervously. "You are caught in your own net Rico." He was sweating in sheets, staring at me in slight fear before he turned and tried to run. Without saying a word I glared then flung out a hand to which Charizard stepped forwards and roared with all his might in Rico's face, making him drop to the ground then lowered a foot over him, keeping him anchored in place. "Don't mess with me." I told him with a smirk before looking around. "Max? You okay?"

"Okay? I'm great! That was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. I'm so glad I took your camera from your backpack and filmed the whole thing!" He said, pointing to where my camera was sat on a rock, miraculously undamaged and recording everything that was going on. Well, I guess that's Max for you.

"Well twerp, it seems like we owe you one." James said, coming to stand before me then held out a hand. "Thanks for the help." I took it and shook it, just for this one time.

"No problem. I may dislike what you do, but you guys aren't actually that bad. In fact I'd say you're halfway decent." I told them but Jessie rolled her eyes.

"Oh please. This doesn't mean we'll stop trying to kidnap that Pikachu or any of your other Pokémon. Today is just a temporary truce to help these Ekans and Koffing." The Ekans hissed at me in thanks but although I could tell they were friendly, I whimpered slightly and drew back, but then I felt a nudge against my back.

"Charbok!" Arbok said then nudged me again, pushing me towards the Ekans.

"Arbok! What are you doing?" I demanded fearfully then pressed my eyes shut. Instantly I was swarmed with Ekans and Koffing, all of which were extremely grateful to me and my Charizard as some of them broke off and went to affectionately hug Charizard, who lowered his head to greet them calmly.

Slowly I became accustomed to the touch and sound of the Ekans around me, easing my fears bit by bit until I was giggling and hugging every single one of them.

"You know James, I think there's one more right thing we need to do." Jessie said and he nodded his head.

"You're right Jessie." He agreed before they both turned to Arbok and Weezing. "You guys had better go with them." My mouth dropped open in shock.

"The poacher may be gone, but these Ekans and Koffing still need you. They're weak from being injured and will need your help to survive." Jessie said to them as the Ekans and Koffing all grouped together.

"Charbok?"

"Weezing…" They both said in confusion, blinking before lowering their heads, unsure of what to do.

"It's alright, to be honest, it's because we care so much about you two that we know you'll be better off out here, helping these Pokémon." James told them and Weezing instantly moved closer, making James put his arms around him as Arbok embraced Jessie with a gentle Wrap attack, holding her close as she tried, unsuccessfully, not to cry.

"Now go, before we…change our minds." She sniffed, wiping her eyes before pointing. "Didn't you hear me? Go!" Arbok and Weezing herded the younger Pokémon together then led them into the bushes, far into the woods until none of us could see them. A new found respect dawned in me as Max stood close at my side, holding my camera.

"That was a very brave thing you did." I told them as they tried to suck it in. "It's not easy letting go of Pokémon you've grown attached to."

"Yeah well, we'll be fine. It's you who had better watch out twerp, because one of these days we're going to rob you blind." Jessie said, pointing at me but I merely smiled.

"I'll be waiting." I told them with a competitive look on my face. "Meowth, you keep the rest of that Super Potion for yourself. You look pretty beat up."

"Huh? Thanks twerp." He said, giving me a smile and a nod which I returned before the three of them raced off into the trees just as Ash, Officer Jenny and the others appeared.

"Ruby!" Ash called, waving his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Max! Max what happened? Are you hurt?" May asked as she bypassed Ash then quickly grabbed her brother. "You're covered in filth, what…happened…here?" She looked around, seeing all the craters from Tyranitar's Hyper Beams and Charizard who still held down Rico, as well as Tyranitar himself as he lay on the ground still, though Brock was instantly making sure it was okay.

"It's a long story. We'll tell you all about later. Right squirt?" I looked down at him with a ruffle of his hair and he nodded his head excitedly.

"You bet!"

"Oh my goodness, is that Rico?" Officer Jenny asked and he yelled.

"Will someone get this overgrown lizard off of me?!" I smirked proudly.

"Yup. Charizard thought you might like to have a little chat with him." Officer Jenny smiled then gave me a salute.

"I thank you very deeply for all your help today. You must be a very talented trainer to have fought off that Tyranitar and capture Rico, someone who's been avoiding our capture for a long time now."

"It was nothing." I said to her then looked at Charizard. "You can let go of him now. Return for a well deserved rest." I told him and the moment he was gone, Officer Jenny had slapped some cuffs on him and Growlithe was keeping a well trained eye on their new prisoner. I reached out and snagged the two Pokéballs from his belt. "I'll take those thank you." Smirking at him as I walked past I held out a Pokéball towards Tyranitar as Brock gave me the thumbs up. "Tyranitar, return!"

At least now we can take it back to Nurse Joy for some proper treatment. It took a pretty hard hit from Charizard, so we'd better get there right away.


	11. Chapter 11

We stood together facing Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny, who had now put Rico safely away under lock and key, and it didn't look like he was getting out any time soon. "But Nurse Joy, what will happen to his Pokémon?" Ash asked with worry.

"His Fearow and Tyranitar are looking fine now that I've treated them, however there's little we can do except try and find them new homes." Nurse Joy told him. "The Fearow is lucky, there's a bird preserve around here we can send it to and it'll be introduced back into the wild, however finding a home for a Tyranitar as loyal and angry as this one may be a little harder. I tried to talk some sense into it this morning, but it only started to attack again and the only way I could stop it was by returning it to its Pokéball."

"That's so sad. Why is it angry?" May asked so Max turned to her.

"Because it wants to go back to its trainer Rico. Pokémon can be very loyal and Rico was the one who caught and raised it. I don't think there's anyone who can do anything for that Tyranitar now."

"Wrong." I said, finally standing up straight and clenched a fist confidently. "I can get through to Tyranitar."

"Of course!" Brock said with a smile. "You can try and reason with it your way, that's sure to work!" Officer Jenny shook her head no, however.

"It's too dangerous. I can't allow you to do something so life threatening. That Tyranitar doesn't care who or what it attacks, it just goes off on a rampage." But Ash laughed.

"You haven't seen Ruby in action. She's tamed Gyarados, a Charizard and even a raging Aerodactyl before. This should be no problem for her." He said and I have him a small smile of thanks. Officer Jenny looked at me closely, humming in thought.

"I know what I'm doing, and I have my Pokémon who can both help me in case things get out of control." I told her assuredly. "All this Tyranitar needs is someone who can understand it." She still looked unsure. "And if things don't go to plan, I have a friend who can help. There's a nature preserve back in Johto where I know wild Tyranitar live. I can send it to Professor Elm who could then see Tyranitar's transfer." Finally, Officer Jenny caved.

"Alright, I'm going to trust you on this one. But I want to be the judge on whether or not you can handle it, so you're going to do whatever you can right now." Officer Jenny told me sternly and Nurse Joy nodded her head.

"I agree. This will be a difficult challenge for you, so if it appears too much, then we shall have to send Tyranitar over to Johto." I nodded my head. Well, they'd given me one chance to set things right with Tyranitar. Hopefully, it'll be all I needed.

Nurse Joy handed over the Pokéball and together we all walked outside and to a large field away from the Pokémon Centre where we would hopefully have enough space to not cause any damage. "First, I'll need Charizard and Jigglypuff." I said to everyone then called them out. "Okay guys, it's play time!"

"Jigglypuff!" Charizard roared in answer before they both turned to me, Jigglypuff smiling brightly and tackling me with a hug, making me giggle. "Puff!"

"Hey there Jigglypuff, good to see you too." I said to her. "Now listen, I'm about to let Tyranitar out of its Pokéball, only it keeps on going on the rampage and attacking things, so I'll need you two to help keep it confined here. Charizard, you're the distraction, I know you're strong enough to hold it off so keep it busy for me and Jigglypuff, if things get too out of hand, I want you to use Sing and send it to sleep. Got that?"

"Puff." She nodded her head then jumped down to stand in front of me as I took a deep breath, looking down to the unsuspecting Pokéball.

"Okay, here we go." I said with a glance over my shoulder, making sure everyone was well back. "Tyranitar, come on out." Immediately the air was filled with a roar, Tyranitar lifting its arms high then pounded the earth with a foot, making it tremble and Jigglypuff called out in alarm as she almost toppled over but I dived down and helped her regain her balance. "Charizard, pull its attention to you!"

Charizard nodded his head then gave a short Flamethrower to Tyranitar's head. Well that got its undivided attention. Maybe not the best strategy. Tyranitar bellowed in rage then turned on Charizard, starting up a Hyper Beam so I quickly got to work.

Punching my fists together I pushed my aura out and locked onto the blazing inferno that was Tyranitar, anger and rage all colliding against each other. "Please Tyranitar, calm down. I can't hear you if you're screaming so loud." I told him as my eyes remained tightly shut. The voice in his mind didn't quieten down, but I could tell what he was feeling.

He was furious that his master had been taken away, he wanted him back. Master? Since when were trainers masters over Pokémon? I dug deeper and found many emotions and memories from the past, seeing rigorous training and all the horrible things Rico had made Tyranitar do all through its stages of evolution. I also found out it was female. No wonder it could pack such a punch. It also explained a little of why she was so loyal to him.

"Please Tyranitar, I'm here as your friend, I'm trying to help you." I tried but as Tyranitar and Charizard began to fight, I heard Ash calling from behind me.

"Ruby watch out!" My eyes shot open to see a tail come sweeping towards me, too quick for me to move however Jigglypuff smartly pounded into me, knocking me down to the ground and the tail swept over our heads as I gasped.

"Thanks Jigglypuff." I said with an exhale and she nodded her head simply.

"Jigglypuff."

"I think you'd better try Sing. Try to relax Tyranitar, I need her to relax so that I could get through to her." Jigglypuff nodded her head then turned around, bouncing forwards a little before taking a deep breath and began to sing, unfazed by all the fighting that was going on, Charizard and Tyranitar biting at one another.

Suddenly musical notes flew from Jigglypuff's mouth and a few of them popped upon contact with Tyranitar, making her suddenly go weary and slightly woozy, so I took my chance. I reached out to her with a relaxed and calm aura, letting her feel my adamant determination to help her and she blinked slightly in surprise.

I offered her memories of my journey, all the fun times I'd had with my Pokémon as well as the hard ones, but then how we'd come together afterwards and comfort one another. With Tyranitar now paying attention to me, Charizard stepped back and let me do my work.

Everything began smoothly, Tyranitar listening to what I had to say and slowly, she began to understand all the things Rico had been doing was wrong, but she'd only done them out of loyalty and a kind of forced affection for him.

Tyranitar began to cry, tears dripping down her face and she fell to the ground with a wail, making the entire earth tremble from her weight as she hid her face and sobbed with years of repressed emotion. "It's okay." I said, opening my eyes and walking over to Tyranitar. "We're here for you now, and everything is going to work out. You'll see." I told her as I stood by her head and gently rubbed it at the pressure points, helping to relax her and she stopped her crying to listen.

"There's a nice place over in the Johto region where I know you'll be welcome. I have a couple of friends there like you and I'm sure they'd be happy to welcome you." I said to her and she listened. "Or we could find you a new trainer, someone who will take proper care of you and make sure that you're happy."

Tyranitar perked up at this so I guess the latter was the one she wanted. "You want to train? That's great." I suddenly had an idea. "You know, with all your power and knowledge of how the bad guys work, I think you'd make a great addition to Officer Jenny's team." I suggested and she blinked in surprise.

"Me? Train Tyranitar?" She stared at the Tyranitar who lifted herself upright, scrutinising Jenny before moving closer, giving her a sniff. "I don't know, I've never trained with a Pokémon that powerful before."

"That's okay, Tyranitar is very loyal. She'll help you and do whatever you ask. Won't you girl?" I said, rubbing her belly and she smiled with a nod of her head. Jenny walked forwards and rested a hand against Tyranitar, looking up at her with a stunned expression before finally smiling.

"Alright then. Tyranitar, welcome to the police force! I'm glad to have you with us." She said and I beamed as Tyranitar celebrated, as well as all the Pokémon too, cheering for joy at Tyranitar's now calm and accepting character.

I handed over the Pokéball to Officer Jenny who lifted it up. "Tyranitar, return!" Tyranitar disappeared into the Pokéball with a streak of red before Jenny smiled at it. "I'll take good care of you, I promise."

"Awesome!" I cheered, leaping up and punching the air at the same time as Jigglypuff, who held her microphone high. "We just tamed a Tyranitar!" That made everyone chuckle and laugh.

"Well Ruby, what you did was incredible." Officer Jenny told me. "You have been a huge help to us here and I hope you continue doing the right thing and not break the law. After all, I'd hate to be the one to slap on the cuffs." She said with a wink so I smirked and nodded my head, tilting my hat downwards to cover my eyes.

"Never fear, I'll be good I promise." I said before I was slathered with Charizard's tongue, knocking me to the ground and I squealed with laughter as both he, Latias and Jigglypuff showered me with affection, making everyone stand there and laugh.


	12. Chapter 12

I'll give you three guesses as to where we are now. Yup, you got it. We're lost. How can we have gotten lost when we have a state of the art Pokémon Navigator, I hear you ask? Because of May, that's who. For once it wasn't Ash.

"This is all your fault!" Max accused his sister who placed her hands on her hips and glared down at him.

"Is not!" She defended hotly.

"Is too! I said we had to take a left at the fork road, but you had to choose to come down this one!" Max yelled back at her as she rolled her eyes.

"Is not! This path looked much prettier and had all those beautiful flowers! Ah…there's nothing better than a nice walk surrounded with flowers."

"It is too your fault!"

"Is not."

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Not!"

"Okay!" Brock interrupted smartly by pressing his hand over their mouths then pushed them apart. "This isn't anyone's fault! Ash, Ruby and I used to get lost all the time and it always worked out just fine, so don't worry!"

"That's right." Ash agreed as he stepped forwards with a smile. "When we were travelling around with Misty, we must have set the record for getting lost."

"But, we always ended up in the place we wanted to be, and if not then we always found something really cool." I told the siblings but they now had their backs turned on one another, wearing almost identical expressions and stances which only made me giggle. Sibling rivalry, the toughest kind there is. Suddenly Ash gave a sound of shock and we all turned to him with a confused look.

"What is it Ash?" Brock questioned and he pointed up into the tree.

"I saw something!" He told us and we all looked but saw nothing there. That is until a whole bunch of Treecko appeared racing across the branch, flitting like shadows until one of them stopped and looked at us with curiosity.

"It's a Treecko!" The squirt said excitedly and I laughed. That's awesome! I love those little fellas, they're all so cute yet cool looking at the same time.

"Treecko?! So this is where they live!" Ash said with a smile before looking at the information that was stored on his Pokédex, whilst I stepped forwards for a closer look. There were more of them now, all watching us carefully but seemingly unbothered by the fact we were just standing there watching them watching us.

"They're cute, look at all of them." May said and I gave her a smile. Considering the fact she first thought they were creepy, I'd say she's come a long way in liking Pokémon.

"This must be their territory!"

"Good." Ash answered Max's amazing and excited call. Oh yeah, Max really wants a Treecko. "I've really been wanting to catch a Treecko, ever since I saw my first one in Professor Birch's lab." He told us before lifting up a Pokéball. "This is my first chance to do it. Okay, go Pokéball!" I slapped a hand to my face. And the genius is back.

The Treecko he was aiming for slapped back the Pokéball with its tail, making Ash blink in confusion before looking grumpily up at the Treecko. "Hey you!"

"When you want to catch a Pokémon you should weaken them in battle first so they have no defence when using your Pokéball. Isn't that what you taught me the other day Ash Ketchum?" May demanded as Ash gave a guilty look. I whacked him on the back of the head.

"Way to go genius, you forgot the first thing about catching Pokémon." He gave a wry little laugh.

"I guess I got a little carried away." The Treecko all darted forwards and disappeared without another trace.

"Now the Treecko is getting away!" Brock called and instantly Ash was running with Pikachu at his side after the Treecko, yelling for it to come back and battle him.

"Wait Ash!" Max shouted but I ruffled his hair.

"It's no use squirt. When Ash wants a Pokémon, there's nothing that will stop him. All we can do now is just follow him." I said but then May ran straight past us, turning her head back to her brother.

"I've seen Slugma slither faster." She then stuck out her tongue and pulled a face, making Max glow red hot with anger.

"Urgh! You look like a Slugma!" He yelled then raced to catch up, leaving Brock and I behind.

"It's heart-warming to see them get along so well." He noted and I giggled with a nod of my head before we both chased after them as well. We ran for a while but after May and Max lost sight of Ash, we came to a halt and looked around.

"Where'd Ash go?" Max asked with worry, trying to shield his eyes from the sun so that he could see better.

"After that Treecko of course. He'll be back." I assured him with a fluff of his hair. "How about some lunch? I'm starving and maybe the smell will help direct Ash back to where we are." I suggested and Brock nodded his head.

"Great idea. Max, how about you get us some firewood?" Brock turned to Max who sighed.

"Okay." He walked off as Brock and I started on some dumplings, a tasty midday snack to help keep our tummies full until dinner. Once Max got the firewood I started a fire with my magnesium rod and made a spark, setting alight to the fuel and I carefully built the fire up around it until it was glowing hot.

"Voila. And that's how you do it." I said as Max studied carefully. "One day when you're out travelling, you'll need to know how to take care of yourself, so it's always handy to know some survival tips. And how to cook of course." I added with a smile as Max beamed.

"I can't wait, I'm going to take my Treecko and together, we'll become awesome battlers! I'm so jealous Ash gets his Treecko now. Why can't I be older?!" Max complained so I merely laughed and folded my arms.

"We all had to wait to get our first Pokémon, so you'll have to too. Don't worry though, it'll happen before you know it, then you can go catch other awesome Pokémon."

"What kind of Pokémon do you have? I know about Latias, Charizard and Jigglypuff, but you haven't told us about your other ones." May asked and Max instantly leaned closer.

"Yeah, tell us!" I lifted my hands up and made a motion for them to calm down.

"Easy, how about I show you?" I suggested and they blinked as I pulled my backpack to me and I found the photo where Ash, Misty, Brock and I stood with all of our Pokémon, though Misty was chasing after Psyduck.

"Wow! That's so awesome! So which Pokémon belong to who?" Max asked but May squealed.

"Look at that one! What is it? It's so beautiful, I want one!" She pointed to my Dragonair so I smiled.

"That's my Dragonair. I caught her as a Dratini but then she evolved." I told them before pointing to my next Pokémon. "And this is Vaporeon. I found her being abandoned by Sophia Winthrop back in Kanto when she was just an Eevee. You know, the girl I battled against in the second round and lost to?" I looked at Max who fiddled with his glasses a little guiltily. "For a long time I didn't catch her in a Pokéball, I just carried her around with me as she preferred my company a lot like Pikachu does, but after a while she decided she wanted to officially become my Pokémon, so she let me catch her in a Pokéball."

"That's so cool, and when did she become Vaporeon?" May asked. "She's really pretty too."

"Thanks, I take pride in my Pokémon and always keep them looking their best." I said with a proud smile. "Well actually, it was Vaporeon who made the decision to evolve. There was some trouble at a power plant after Team Rocket wrecked the power, so we had to open the water gates to get electricity back into the city to help the Pokémon centre. A friend of ours happened to be close by, Gary, and he had his Umbreon with him. There was an accident and Umbreon fell over the edge after saving Eevee from falling in instead, but when she saw him go into the water, she found the Water Stone I kept in my back and chose to evolve right there and then." May sighed dreamily.

"It's so romantic." She said, looking upwards with her hands touching her face as she imagined it happening.

"What about the others?" Max pressed so I began to point to them all.

"That's Jigglypuff and Charizard, of course, and Latias, there's my Scyther who I caught in a bug catching contest and Pidgeot, who has been in my family since I was a little girl. Onix, Crobat, Forretress and Geodude all belong to Brock, and the water Pokémon here belong to Misty. That's Staryu, Corsola and her Psyduck. They have a love hate relationship, though Misty loves him to bits really." I explained with a laugh. "Then the rest are Ash's. There's Bayleef, she had a crush on Ash, and Cyndaquil and Totodile, there's his special Noctowl and finally Phanphy. He hatched him from an egg." I explained then pulled out a photo of my Ivysaur and the Pokémon back at Professor Oak's lab.

"Wow! Is that a Snorlax? That's so awesome!" Max leaned in closer and I began to explain each Pokémon's story, including those of Squirtle and Charizard who weren't present, however still counted as Ash's Pokémon. Once every Pokémon was introduced, I put the photos away then sat down on the floor next to Max as Brock filled up his plate.

"What do you think happened to Ash and Pikachu?" He worried again, looking over his shoulder.

"Who cares? Let's just all enjoy Brock's delicious cooking." May said happily as she too received her portion.

"Well thank you May."

"How can you be hungry and think about food when Ash could be in danger?" Max demanded of his sister who glared readily at him.

"You'll be in danger if you don't stop bugging me so just give me your food if you don't want it!" She yelled back at him but Max instantly pulled back his plate, holding it away from his sister with a panicked look.

"No! I never actually said I couldn't eat it! Hands off." I chuckled as Brock filled up my plate.

"Ash is fine." He assured everyone without a worry in his voice. "There's no need for us to be worrying about Ash, he's always getting into scrapes but with Pikachu, he'll be okay so we can go look for him after we've finished eating." He told us all before I piped up.

"Remember, it's always easier to look for something with a full stomach. So dig in everyone, there's plenty." So we tucked in and ate our fill until everything was gone. I washed up the dishes, made sure there was enough water with us to last until the next town or city then walked back to the others.

We walked for hours, searching for Ash to no avail. He was totally gone from sight. "Just typical. Oh well, time to get some rest." I said after we'd finished dinner. "Ash can fend for himself for a night."

"Are you sure?" Max asked me as I unravelled my sleeping bag.

"Sure, he's got Pikachu with him, and if I know Ash he's already sent Taillow out to look for us, so we'll find him tomorrow." I assured him. "Get some rest, it's still a long walk to Rustboro City." I advised so Max nodded his head then got ready for bed. Once everyone was asleep I turned over and sighed. "Please be alright Ash."


	13. Chapter 13

Sure enough the next morning Taillow pecked us all awake with a squawk, waking us up sharply then began to circle over our heads. "See? I told you so squirt." I said to Max with a smile as we quickly put our bedding away. "Let's go!"

We ran after Taillow who led us to a massive tree in the middle of the forest, one that was bare and dead but had split open somehow and collapsed to the ground. I wonder how come we didn't hear it.

I noticed all the Treecko gathered back where Ash and Pikachu stood, facing a solitary Treecko who held a stick in its mouth like a toothpick. "Ash is about to battle!" Max called and we stopped to watch.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash called and Pikachu leaped up, sending out his attack but only scored a direct hit on the fourth try, hitting Treecko with tonnes of power but it brushed it off easily, breaking free then leaped after Treecko.

"Treecko's strong!" May noted, a hand touching her mouth as we watched the battle.

"And electric attacks don't have much effect on grass types." Max added, making her eyes grow wider.

"That's not good, look how fast Treecko is! Pikachu doesn't stand a chance against a Pokémon that fast, especially starting at a disadvantage!" May worried but I merely shrugged.

"I wouldn't worry." I said to her. "Treecko may be fast, but so is Pikachu. Plus, when Pikachu hits, he hits hard because he's so powerful." I explained then pointed as Treecko leaped up into the air away from Pikachu's Quick Attack. "Watch."

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Pikachu scored a direct hit, causing Treecko a lot of damage and it cried out before falling to the ground motionlessly.

"What? How did an electric attack work on a grass Pokémon?" Max asked in disbelief as he and May both stared at the Treecko.

"Well, I'll tell you." Brock said to them. "Pokémon that are strong against electric attacks, are usually so because they diffuse it into trees or the ground. But they're not able to do that in the air. There's more to the science of battles than the disadvantages." He explained and I nodded my head.

"You have to factor in how they have the advantage, but also how much more experience a Pokémon may have over another. There's a lot to consider."

"Go! Pokéball!" Ash yelled, throwing the Pokéball at Treecko and caught it inside, though it wiggled and the red light flashed continuously until finally, it clicked shut, signalling that Ash had successfully caught his Treecko. "Alright! Yeah, I caught a Treecko!"

"Pi Pikachu!"

* * *

On our way to Rustboro, we found a gorgeous lake filled with glistening clean water, so we all decided to stop and have a swim. I ran to a rock then jumped, laughing as I dove in elegantly then swam back up the surface, flicking my hair back then beamed at everybody. "Come on in! The water feels great!"

"Cowabunga!" Ash yelled as he raced forwards then jumped, causing a huge splash at me which made me giggle before splashing him back once he had resurfaced. We swam and splashed, laughed when Brock fell in and were just starting to really have a great time when Pikachu noticed something coming towards us.

"Pikachu!"

"What's the matter Pikachu?" Ash asked then looked around. We all yelped, watching as these lily pads came closer to us, moving through the water of their own accord. "Uh…guys? What are they?" Ash asked worriedly.

Without warning Max was dragged down underwater with a cry, making my eyes go wide. "No Max!" I made to swim after him but then May was dragged down too. "May!" Something grabbed my leg and I cried out loud before being pulled under, down into the water until I realised we were surrounded by tiny water Pokémon, little round things with lily pads on their heads. I blinked in surprise. These cute little guys were the ones who'd pulled us down?

Suddenly they bunched underneath us all after Ash and Brock had been pulled down too and I looked at them as they turned their heads upwards. Uh oh, they're not thinking what I think they're thinking, are they?

Before I could try and tell them to stop, they burst us out of the water with Water Gun, making us fly up into the air with a yell before landing on the bank. I fell first, then Brock, then May, then Ash and then Max, all of which made me loose more and more of my breath. "Not again! Will people please stop falling on me?!" I yelled, kicking my feet and fists as everyone scrambled to get up.

"What was that?" May demanded as she rubbed her back and I remained crashed out on the ground. Ouch. That one had hurt.

"Those were Lotad!" Max beamed, fixing his glasses back on his nose as Ash stood up.

"Lotad?" He questioned then opened up his Pokédex to see what it had to say.

"Lotad, the water weed Pokémon. Lotad inhabit peaceful wetlands like lakes and pumps." Finally I took a deep breath and looked at the hoard of Lotad who blinked at us in unison.

"They are kind of cute."

"This lake must belong to the Lotad." Max reasoned as they began to jump out of the water, forming a slight curve facing us with their sweet little faces, though May squeaked and hid behind me.

"Here they come!"

"Relax May, they're friendly." I told her with a smile. "They just want to play with us. Isn't that right Lotad?" I asked and they all spoke and nodded their teeny weeny heads as one.

"Lotad." They stood back on their hind legs and used Water Gun again, only this time they aimed it at a specific point in the sky which caused it to spray out prettily, making the air damp yet pleasant after all the heat.

"Wow! That's so cool!" I laughed and ran for my camera, taking a quick snapshot of such an amazing display. "They're performing for us!"

"Awesome, maybe they're giving us a special welcome." Ash suggested but Max frowned and tilted his head to the side.

"Maybe, but normal Lotad can't use Water Gun." He told us studiously but I just shrugged. Pokémon always surprise you, so you can never be sure what they're going to throw at you. Maybe these really are special Lotad.

"Look!" Brock suddenly said and we all turned to notice one of the Lotad not quite able to keep up with the others, its Water Gun just a meagre dibble. "Guess that little guy can't keep up."

"You're right." The Lotad stopped their Water Gun all at once and the water dispersed in a beautiful flash, making me smile. Now that was pretty, I'll have to remember this one for sure.

"Poor thing, it just needs a little more oomph." May said as Brock walked up to it, seeing as it was still trying to work on its attack.

"Hey little guy, you know your buddies have all fin-" Lotad suddenly came out with an extraordinarily powerful Water Gun, though it aimed it right at Brock who got a full blast of its strength, making it smile and beam up at him once it had closed its mouth as we all laughed.

"Hey you!" Someone called out irritably and our laughter stopped, turning to see a red haired girl glaring at us. "This lake belongs to the Lotad and you can't swim here. Now you will come with me, at once!" She ordered and I blinked in surprise. She's kidding us, right?

"You and miss bossy-pants would be a perfect match, Max." May told her brother whilst giving the new girl an unimpressed look.

"Can it May." He warned her as Brock walked back over to us.

"And _why_ should we be coming with you, ma'am?" He asked her in a grown up voice but she wasn't deterred.

"I'll tell you. For a lecture!" We all leaped back with a yell, slightly frightened of this little girl. What's her problem? Still, best not argue. We all got dressed and followed her as she led us up to a hut that was lifted off the ground and trees. "Nicole! I found some trespassers." The little girl called out as she opened the door and walked in. "I've brought them back here for punishment." She claimed as an older girl appeared, blinked then exhaled with a shake of her head.

"What were you thinking Natalie? You know that you should be kinder to travellers, right?" She reprimanded and Natalie hung her head though she wore a sour face.

"I know but Nicole…"

"Well, well. Looks like she's the one getting lectured." May noted as we all smiled innocently to Nicole as she forced her little sister to turn around and face us.

"So, I apologise for my sister's rudeness." She told us but Ash and I both waved our hands, speaking at the same time.

"That's okay, no harm done." Both Max and May just stared at us.

"It's still creepy how you guys can do that." Max told us flatly but we both just smiled.

"Thank you. I'm Nicole and this is my sister Natalie. The two of us run this little flower shop." She told us and I looked around at all the beautiful flowers, all sweet smelling and took in a deep breath, savouring the soft aroma with a sigh.

"Hi, I'm Ash."

"I'm May."

"Ad my name's Max!"

"My name is Ruby, and this is…uh…Brock?" I questioned as he leaped forwards and grabbed Nicole's hands, lifting them up between their faces.

"Hi. I'm Brock and you're beautiful. The elegance of this flower shop is surpassed only by your exquisite elegance." He said and Nicole gave a nervous and shy laugh.

"Oh…thanks."

"As an authority on magnificence, I'm here to say you're the inspiration for it all." Where's Misty when you need her?

"You're very kind. I've just baked a pie and it's cooling off, would all of you like to join us for a slice?" She offered and Ash nodded his head eagerly.

"Yeah that sounds great!"

"Yes please we're so hungry!" Both Max and May chorused together and I shot them a smirk.

"And you call us creepy." They both laughed, rubbing the back of their heads as Brock stepped in front of them.

"It would be an honour and a privilege to sample the cooking skills of such a great talent!" He declared just as the door behind us opened.

"Natalie, the water pipe in the garden sprang a leak _again_. This Wailmer pail is not going to do the job. Huh? Company?" Oh dear, here we go again. Stop it Brock!

"Argh! Another vision of loveliness?" He cried out and I slapped my hand to my head. Perhaps we need to get him a mouth restraint. This is going far enough as it is. However Nicole chuckled good naturedly.

"I'd like you all to meet our other sister. This is Rita." And again, Brock grabbed the hand.

"My dearest Rita, what I wouldn't do to have a watering can that could raise a flower as beautiful as you!" I was just about to reach out and grab Brock's ear when Natalie took Brock's arm and tugged him back with a glare.

"Hold it! How come when you met _me_ you didn't have any of those nice things to say, huh Brock? You know that's very rude." I almost laughed but I managed to contain it. Well that's one way to do it, I suppose.

"Well, you see…"

"Ah hah! Is this love at first sight again Natalie?" Rita teased and made her sister blush, so before any arguing could start up I clapped my hands.

"Okay, did someone mention pie?" I asked hopefully and Nicole chuckled.

"Right this way. There's plenty for everyone." She assured us, and sure enough, there was enough pie to go around twice over, which I readily accepted. It tasted so good! I'll have to get the recipe for this one for sure.

"Wow! That was so good! I've never had anything like this before!" May declared happily as Max downed his pie with some milk.

"They're berries from the Oran tree, they're my all time favourite." Nicole told us and I mentally noted that down.

"Because of the mild climate and rich soil we're able to harvest all kinds of fruit. Would you like to see?" Rita offered and both May and I leaped to our feet.

"We'd love to!"

"Right!" So we headed out into the garden where I was instantly hit by how fresh and clean the air was here, gently fragranced with the smell of flowers and berries of all kinds. "Wow! The air is so clean here!" May said as she spun around.

"It would be a real awesome place to raise Pokémon." Max noted and I agreed with him. They'd be so healthy and strong, almost invincible!

"Taillow, Treecko, come on out!" Ash called and let out his Pokémon. Taillow instantly flew up into the air and Treecko picked a tall, healthy tree to sit in as I picked up two of my Pokéballs.

"Jigglypuff, Latias, it's play time!" I laughed and they appeared with a call, smiling brightly then looked around them. Latias instantly squealed and went to the flowerbeds to sniff all the flowers, looking around her as Jigglypuff bounced around, sniffing each of the flowers before going over to some of the berries to inspect them curiously. "And of course, you too Charizard!"

He roared upon arrival but instantly I yelped. "Watch your foot! You'll ruin the flowerbeds!" He froze in place then looked down, noticing how he was about to step on some flowers so he scratched his head guiltily then walked over to me where it was safe. "Hey there buddy." I giggled then climbed up to sit on one of his shoulders as everyone let out their Pokémon as well.

"They look so happy." Nicole noted as she and her sister Natalie walked forwards, looking over all our Pokémon but then she gasped. "Is that…a Latias?"

"Oh, yeah." I gave a guilty laugh. "Latias, come and say hello!" I called so Latias flew over to Natalie and Nicole, both of them staring in disbelief until Natalie squealed.

"I want one! Can you get me one? They're so cute! And I bet it's strong, can you show me some of its moves?" She demanded as Nicole nervously reached out and touched Latias's head so she moved forwards and closed the distance, smiling as Nicole gasped then laughed, stroking Latias gently.

"I raised Latias from an egg, so I couldn't tell you where they come from." I told her simply. "Plus they're very rare, I doubt you'll ever see one again." That made Natalie pout, so I guess I must have said the wrong thing. Oops.

"Well, would you like to see our berry garden?" Nicole offered and we all nodded our heads eagerly and I jumped down off of Charizard's shoulder.

"You stay here and be careful. Don't damage anything because these sisters put a lot of hard work into growing everything here, okay?" I said to him so he gave my face a lick, telling me not to worry. "Good, I'll see you in a minute!" I called then followed after the others just as Nicole was explaining about berries.

"All of the berries have many different effects on Pokémon." She was telling Ash and instantly we all crowded closer.

"Effects on Pokémon?" Max called.

"What sort of effects?" Brock asked with Natalie gripping onto one of his arms tightly but she told us what her sister meant.

"If you crush them up in Pokémon food, they do all kinds of awesome things!"

"That's true. They can heal injuries and restore energy. All of the different berries have their own kind of effect. Over there are Sitrus berries, give one of them to a Pokémon and they'll be filled with energy." Nicole told us as she pointed over to a particular bush.

"That's so amazing." I said. "I never knew berries could be so useful to Pokémon."

"Me neither, just goes to show how much we've still got left to learn." Brock said before Natalie piped up.

"I know. I could make a list of what berry to give to which Pokémon and how much to give them. Would you like that Brock?" She offered and Brock instantly smiled down at her.

"You mean it?"

"Of course silly, anything for you." She answered and Brock instantly lifted his hands in celebration.

"Alright!"

"I'd do anything for my boyfriend." Natalie added as an afterthought and Brock instantly dropped to the ground in a mock faint, though I think it may have actually been very real.

"Nicole! It's no use, we'll have to put in an entire new pipe. Those joints are so old, it just isn't worth it. We'll have to replace the whole thing once and for all." Rita said to Nicole who sighed.

"I guess so, but that's a really big job." Suddenly we all heard small chanting voice of Lotad coming closer and we saw them walking into the garden with their pads full of water, which they carried over to the bushes and flowerbeds and watered them.

"Hey that's so awesome! They're helping!" I laughed, looking over to some Lotad who jumped up onto the fence and used Water Gun to spray lots of water over the flowers.

"But Lotad aren't supposed to be able to use Water Gun!" Max said, however Nicole smiled.

"These are very special Lotad. The truth is they perform all kinds of unusual attacks."

"But why are they helping?" May asked so Natalie gave her a thumbs up and a wink.

"It's their way of thanking us for growing them all those berries." She told us all so I turned around, looked at Ash and we both got the same idea at the same time.

"Let's help!" We chorused, standing back to back and pointed forwards in a mirroring stance. "We can help with whatever you need!" Max leaped back with a panicked face.

"Now that's just scary!"

"Sure! That would be amazing, thank you!" Nicole told us so we all set to work. I helped May, Max and Brock carry buckets of water to and from the lake, with Torchic and Pikachu helping as well by carrying water in a large leaf.

Latias carried a smaller bucket and flew with us whilst Jigglypuff also balanced one on her head, chirping happily away as she marched in front, leading the line until finally, she stopped and blinked. "Jiggly?"

"Pika?"

"Torchic!"

"What's wrong guys?" I asked and Pikachu pointed ahead to see the Lotad forming a long line, however it wasn't moving along.

"Oh no, we've got a traffic jam." May said as we all looked ahead to see one of the smaller Lotad standing before the flower bed, frozen in place.

"It's because of that Lotad in front. It doesn't want to move." Brock put down his bucket then moved forwards to the front of the line.

"Let's see here. Excuse me." He knelt down beside the Lotad and gave it a warm, friendly smile. "What's wrong? Lotad, are you okay?" The Lotad turned and looked at Brock.

"Tad? Tad?" It questioned, looking a little confused so Brock turned and looked at the flowerbed.

"Watch, lower you head like…that!" He said brightly as he lowered his head towards the flowers like a bow. "Take your time. There's no need to rush." He assured the Lotad who took a tentative step closer then tipped his head forwards, pouring the water in his pad into the soil until the last drop was gone. "That's it! Good job Lotad."

"Lotad."

"Yeah!" Max cheered as he leaped up and swiped a fist at the air.

"Awesome, way to go!" May called forwards as we all cheered for the Lotad who blinked then beamed up at Brock.

"Lotad!"

"See? You can do anything if you just try it." He told the little Pokémon who smiled again.

"Lotad! Lotad Lo, Lotad Lo!" It chirped then began to bow its head repeatedly at Brock, making me chuckle.

"I think Lotad is trying to say thank you." I noted as Brock began to ease back.

"That's okay, just helping us out is all the thanks that I need!" He said quickly, lifting his hands up as the Lotad continued to bow to him. We all chuckled before finally the line carried on and we were able to finish watering the garden.

We walked the Lotad back to the lake where Rita gave them a wave. "Thanks for your help today guys, you go on back to the lake now!" She called and they all chorused at us.

"Lotad!" Then they went back into the water, save for the littlest of the flock who stayed put.

"Lotad." It said, looking directly at Brock though Ash gave a chuckle.

"Oh no, this little guy's been left behind again." Natalie gave a giggle.

"Maybe it still wants to play." She suggested as Brock knelt down.

"Hey Lotad, your buddies have already gone on home." He said to the Lotad who only moved closer to Brock.

"Lotad." I arched an eyebrow then smiled, folding my arms across my chest.

"You know Brock, I think that Lotad wants to come along with you." I said to him. "I get the feeling it really appreciates you encouraging it on the way you did, and wants to be your friend forever." He blinked then looked up at me.

"You think so?"

"I know so. I'm Ruby, after all." I laughed, holding up my fingers in a victory sign then winked at him.

"In that case, I'd be happy to have you come along with us. What do you say Lotad? Would you like to be my Pokémon?" He asked and Lotad instantly gave a bright smile and nodded its little head.

"Lotad!" With that it leaped forwards into Brock's arms, making him smile and laugh before bringing out a Pokéball and successfully captured his new buddy.

"Alright, I just caught a Lotad!" He celebrated and we all beamed until I noticed Natalie tugging on both our sleeves, getting our attention.

"I wrote these for you." She told us and handed Brock and I separate notebooks. "I've listed all the berries and their uses and how to use them. I hope it helps." She smiled. "I made one for you too Ruby, because Brock mentioned how much you like looking after your Pokémon and how you want to be a Pokémon representative when you grow older."

"Wow, thanks Natalie." I said to her gratefully. "That's awesome!"

"That's very sweet of you Natalie." Brock agreed and Natalie instantly beamed happily, glad to have gotten a compliment from her new favourite guy. I looked at my new notebook and flicked through the pages, interested in everything that it had to say.

I can't wait to put its advice into practice!


	14. Chapter 14

We'd been walking for most of the morning, however we were getting close to Rustboro and Ash's first gym battle, as well as May's. Speaking of which, I haven't noticed her do any training, and she still only has one Pokémon. Maybe we should do something about that.

"Hey, that must be Rustboro Hall!" Max said as his navigator came up with some information and ahead, I saw a large dome roofed building surrounding by beautiful gardens and roses.

"Which must mean we're already in Rustboro City! And I'm ready for my gym battle!" Ash yelled loudly with excitement but Max just looked at him.

"But we're still over a day's walk from the gym Ash." Instantly Ash dropped to the ground with a groan, his knees giving out beneath him as he fell at my feet.

"Well I know I'm pretty, but you don't have to be so dramatic Ash." I told him with a smirk before helping him to stand up. "Come on genius. Let's get walking." We walked on but noticed how the Pokémon and trainers here were busy grooming their Pokémon or practicing some really pretty looking moves instead of proper battle training. What's going on?

"They don't look like they're training for a battle but I wonder what they're doing." Ash wondered aloud.

"Check it out!" Max pointed ahead and I looked forwards to see a massive sign on the roof of the hall that said 'Pokémon Competition' in beg bold letters. Maybe that had something to do with it. "I bet they're all preparing for that Pokémon contest."

"Pokémon contest?" May and I both chorused together before something flew into May's face with a trill and quite a lot of force.

"Beautifly!" With a cry May tumbled backwards so I leaped behind her and grabbed her under the arms, steadying her before she flailed her arms with a shriek.

"Get off me!"

"What is it?" I asked curiously then pulled out my Pokédex.

"Beautifly, the butterfly Pokémon. Beautifly have long thin noses which can extend to suck the pollen out of flowers." I looked up at the beautiful Pokémon, with black, yellow and red wings and the most gorgeous eyes I'd seen as it sat on top of May's head.

"Get off!" She wailed but Ash only laughed.

"Looks like you've got a new friend."

"It's not funny!" She yelled as she tried to shake it off but then a woman's voice called out.

"I'm so sorry!" And another voice added.

"Are you okay?"

"Hello!" Brock suddenly called out as he spotted the pretty woman running towards us. "Is your mother an artist? Because you're a work of art! Pretty as a pic-agh!" Brock yelled as Beautifly landed on his head and cut off his declaration of love.

"Agh! Beautifly stop that!" The lady said desperately but I waved a hand as we all walked forwards.

"It's no big deal. Brock's head is pretty solid anyway." I said.

"So I was wondering, are you training for that Pokémon contest?" Max asked her curiously and the lady nodded her head, suddenly relaxing.

"Well as a matter of fact I was, but then unfortunately some of the attacks went a little bit wrong." She admitted as her guy companion gave an apologetic look.

"That's probably my fault. Venomoth's Whirlwind attack was way too strong. It was a hopeless failure." That's when his Pokémon, a large purple one, landed on his shoulder.

"My name's Janet by the way." Janet introduced with a smile.

"And I'm Chaz, how's it going?" He asked and I turned a look on Brock.

"Awesome, thanks! I'm Ruby."

"And I'm Ash."

"My name's May."

"And my name is Max." We all introduced as Beautifly flew back over to Janet but before Brock could lift up his head and say something dumb, I powered my hand down and kept him facing the ground with a casual laugh.

"And that's Brock."

"There's something you said that I don't get Chaz, how could a powerful attack be a failure?" He asked and Max gave his know it all expression.

"The problem is this. Ash doesn't know anything about a Pokémon Contest." He said so I gave Max a pointed look.

"Can it squirt, you know we're not from around here." I told him warningly but Janet and Chaz merely chuckled.

"I guess the one thing to know is that a contest is not like normal Pokémon battles." Chaz explained and I stood up straight with curiosity.

"They're not?"

"It's about the beauty of the attack. Not about the raw power." Janet finished the explanation but Ash looked as dumbfounded as I felt.

"The beauty of attacks?"

"Yes." She nodded her head. "We're Pokémon coordinators and we train our Pokémon to be graceful." But Ash still didn't get it.

"Coordin…coordin-a-what?" So I whacked him on the back of his head.

"A coordinator, genius."

"Oh! I know about Pokémon contests, aren't they the ones where the winner gets a cute little ribbon or something?" May questioned and Janet nodded her head, reaching to pull something out from her bag.

"That's exactly right and they look exactly like these two." May and I both crowded forwards, our eyes reflecting the sparkling shine of the two ribbons which sat neatly in their case.

"No way! You've already got two of them?!"

"Want to take a look at the ribbon I won?" Chaz asked and I looked at the beautiful red ribbon he'd managed to win.

"That's so cool! I'm going to win one too!"

"You need to be good with Pokémon to win." Max told her bluntly so she glared at him.

"I'm a natural with Pokémon."

"Me too!" Brock said.

"Let's all enter the contest." Ash suggested and I squealed.

"I want to try it! This is going to be so much fun!"

"I know the entry is limited, I wonder if it's too late at this point?" Janet wondered as she looked at Chaz but he shook his head.

"Nah, but they should probably hurry." With that I had swept everyone in front of me and was already running to the hall, pushing them all to get moving as they yelled with the sudden speed.

"Come on let's go!" However when we reached the desk, it was to find bad news.

"I'm sorry, but there's only one spot left." The lady told us all. "And you need a contest pass to enter so I'm sorry, but none of you qualify." She told us before smiling. "But if you can decide which one of you would like to enter, I can issue you a contest pass right now."

"Really? Thank you so much." Brock said before turning to us all. "Now, which one of us should give this competition a try?" I desperately wanted to, but I guess it wouldn't be fair on May. Although she never says it, I know she doesn't want to enter into the Hoenn league, so maybe finding a new Pokémon route would be good for her. "I don't mind giving it a miss."

"Me neither, I'd only enter for fun and not really take it as seriously as I should. I'm focused on Pokémon battles." Ash said before looking to us two girls. "It's between you two." I gave May a smile.

"You go for it May." I said to her. "It'll be great experience for you, besides, I know you'll enjoy it."

"But…I…" May sighed then hung her head. "I can't."

"What?" We all blinked at her. "Why not?"

"I've hardly done any training with my Torchic, and I wouldn't have a clue what to do. I'm not very good at battling and I'd only mess things up." May lifted her head then returned my warm smile. "Ruby, I think _you_ should be the one to take that spot. With your Pokémon, I know you'll do great no matter what you do. You're an experienced trainer and would do way better than I could. So you go for it!"

"Are…are you sure?" I asked and she nodded her head with a wink.

"You bet." Suddenly I beamed.

"Thank you May! You're the best!" I cried out then flung my arms around her, the both of us laughing as we hugged one another.

"So shall I issue you a contest participant pass?" The desk lady asked and I nodded my head excitedly.

"And how about giving the others passes so that they can watch from the gallery. Could you possibly do that?" Janet suggested and the nice lady nodded her head.

"Of course I can." She handed us all some passes but then she gave me a new case where I could hold my ribbons if I won any. I can't tell you how excited I am, this is going to be a totally new experience for me and I know just who to choose as my star!

"Jigglypuff, it's show time!" I called and let her out as she struck a pose then bowed to everyone, making Janet laugh and clap her hands. "Jigglypuff was born for the stage, I know she'll be great! Hey Jigglypuff, guess what?" I knelt down and she turned to look at me as I showed her the pass. "I'm going to enter you in a Pokémon contest, which means showing off how cute and beautiful you are to the world! You're going to perform to hundreds of people, does that sound good?"

"Jigglypuff?!" Her eyes glittered as she gasped before she tackled me with a hug. "Jigglypuff! Jigglypuff Puff Puff!" I laughed, hugging her tightly before I put her down.

"So Jigglypuff, what we have to do is make your moves look as beautiful and appealing as possible. Is that right Janet?"

"It sure is. The more unique you can make your Pokémon look, the more points you'll score. The opening round is the appeal round, where you get to show off your Pokémon's strengths. Do you have any ideas?" She asked and I thought for a moment.

"Well…" Then I thought back to how the Lotad had put on a show for us back at the lake, creating a shimmery veil of water. Maybe I could use that as my inspiration. "Yes! I got it! Jigglypuff, we're going to take your strength to a new height, you ready?"

"Jigglypuff!" She cheered then leaped onto my back, perching on my shoulder as I turned towards the others.

"It's a shame we all couldn't enter but at least we get to observe." Brock noted but May sighed and hung her head.

"Big bummer." Just then Janet's Beautifly landed on her head, making her foul mood grow a little darker. "Hey pal, find somewhere else to sit!" She ordered but Beautifly remained exactly where it was.

"Hey May, I have an idea! Maybe you could be Janet or Chaz's assistant!" May smiled at her little brother gratefully at his attempt to try and make her feel better.

"That's silly, there's no way…"

"I think Max has a great idea. I'd love for you to be my Pokémon assistant May." Janet said and May's eyes widened.

"You mean it?"

"I'm sure that Beautifly thinks it's a great idea too." Chaz said from where he sat, his Venomoth on his arm and he fed it some small little blocks, which brought Brock and I over in curiosity.

"Hey, that's Pokéblock, right?" Brock questioned and Chaz nodded.

"Yeah, I always use it as a snack along their main diet of Pokémon food. You want to try some yourselves? Hold out your hands." He invited so both Brock and I held out our hands so that Chaz could drop some into our palms.

"What exactly is it?" I asked, looking at them closely as Jigglypuff tapped my shoulder.

"Jigglypuff."

"You want some too? Here you go." I said with a smile and gave her the pink one which made her nod her head in approval. Well, if she likes it then maybe I will too. I tried the last of the Pokéblock myself to find a mixture of textures and tastes. Interesting.

"It's full of nutrition and it's made from berries. You can get all kinds of Pokéblock, it just all depends on what kind of berries you use in your recipe. Everyone has their own so they can personalise it to bring out the best in their Pokémon." Chaz explained as Janet walked over.

"I make my own Pokéblock to bring out the best in my Beautifly."

"Wow! That explains it. That's why its wings are so beautiful." Max said as the wings shone vibrantly. Beautifly lifted off of May's head and began to flutter around Max, trilling brightly and he bit his lip slightly. "Do you think it's mad at me?" He asked but Janet reassured him.

"No, it's just thank you for the compliment, and I should really be saying thank you too." She said but Max just looked at her.

"Thanks for what?"

"Yeah, what did she do?" His sister agreed with him as Beautifly landed on her head again.

"It's always so nice to hear someone praise the Pokémon that I train." Janet told them and I nodded my head.

"It means other people notice how hard you've worked with your Pokémon to make it so strong and healthy."

"Yeah, it sure makes you feel good." Brock agreed.

"It really makes you proud of all the hard work and energy you've put into the training." Chaz said with a proud look to his own Pokémon. "Hey, are you guys going to be heading over to Rustboro City for a gym battle?" He asked us and Ash nodded his head.

"Yup. Pikachu and I are good to go."

"I'm going to battle too." May said but then I noticed how Chaz and Janet's faces both turned into ones of surprise.

"You're planning on battling with Pikachu?"

"That might be difficult." Janet revealed.

"But Pikachu's the best I got." He said to them so Chaz turned back to face him.

"But Ash, the Rustboro gym is a rock Pokémon gym." He told us and I blinked. Now that is a problem. Ash only has one Pokémon that may have any affect against rock types, and that's Treecko, however it's still pretty young and hasn't had a lot of battle experience yet.

"A rock gym?!"

"That'll sure make things tough for an electric Pokémon like Pikachu." Suddenly Max gasped.

"That's going to be a problem for you too May! A fire Pokémon like your Torchic won't have any effect at all on those rock Pokémon." He told her as Chaz stood up, looking directly at Ash.

"Hey Ash, does your Pikachu know any good attacks that would work against rock Pokémon?" He hung his head.

"No."

"Well, if I told you there was a way to learn that attack, do you think you'd be interested?" He offered and instantly Ash's head shot back up and both Ash and Pikachu nodded their heads.

"Yeah! I'd love to know it!"

"Pika Pika!"

"Okay, you guys up for a crash course?" Chaz offered but May gave a polite smile.

"Well, I'd love to join you but I have a Beautifly on my head." She informed everyone but Max didn't give up so easily.

"You should learn that attack too." He advised but May once again danced around the subject.

"Oh well, maybe next time."

"What are you talking about?" Max demanded as May waved a hand at him.

"You do your thing, I'll do my thing." I chuckled before stepping forwards, drawing their attention to me before there was another argument between brother and sister.

"In that case, how about you come and help Jigglypuff and I train for our debut?" I suggested and Max instantly brightened up.

"You bet!"

"I'll stay and help Janet." May said. "After all, I still have her Beautifly." We all laughed before I walked off with Max and Brock, though Max was clutching my wrist and tugging me forwards.

"Come on! Show us what you're going to do!"

"Okay! Okay! Slow down squirt, it's not the end of the world you know." I joked with a smile as Jigglypuff also pounded her head into my back, making me jerk forwards repeatedly to try and get me moving faster. Well at least she's psyched up for the contest, which is all that we'll need to shine!


	15. Chapter 15

"The wait is over! The Rustboro Pokémon Contest is about to get underway! On our panel of judges this year are Contesta, Director of the Pokémon Contest Committee, Sukizo from the Pokémon enthusiast club and Nurse Joy from Rustboro City!" Our announcer introduced each one as they stood on stage, the crowds all cheering for them. "And like every year, the winner will receive this Rustboro ribbon! Now listen up, anyone winning five ribbons from the various Pokémon regional contest will be declared an official top coordinator! And given free automatic entry into the Pokémon Grand Festival!"

"Wow, awesome!" May said as she and the others all stood in the foyer where all the coordinators waited for their turn.

"The most important part is the Pokémon's entry. First impressions really do matter, the judges will form opinions from the first attack and they take into account the degree of the Pokémon's development, and the level of cooperation from its trainer. The final decision is made based on points, given by the judges. It's very exciting." I'll say, I can hardly wait!

"Awesome, awesome!" May repeated so her brother turned a look at her.

"Perhaps you could expand your vocabulary a bit." He suggested but for once, May wasn't bothered at the stab.

"I know, but it's so awesome! Pokémon are incredible, I never realised!" May said with dreamy eyes. With Max and May helping out Janet on her turn, I watched as Beautifly stared out with flash, lighting the entire stage with a golden glow which radiated brightly from its wings, making my eyes widen in awe. Now that's beautiful! I watched as May and Max both flung out their breakable Frisbees and Beautifly hit them with String Shot, filling the stage with glitter and tiny shards which surrounded Max and May.

"Now that's style." I said with a nod of my head as Beautifly finished with a radiant Hidden Power then landed elegantly in Janet's hand, earning a perfect score of thirty. I took a deep breath. Now it's my turn.

I walked up onto the stage and almost ran away. There's so many people here expecting a beautiful performance! What if I mess up? Although I guess I don't matter, it's Jigglypuff who's the star here, which is why she's so perfect for this.

"And next up is Ruby Bates all the way from Pallet Town in the Kanto region, let's give her a big warm welcome!" The announcer said and when everyone cheered, I instantly felt better. Just pretend they're not there and everything will be okay.

"Jigglypuff, it's show time!" I called out brightly and Jigglypuff appeared with a spin even out of her Pokéball, elegantly turning before striking a pose.

"Jigglypuff!" With that she landed on the ground gracefully then bowed first to the judges and then to the audience, making me smile. That's right Jigglypuff, it doesn't matter if we win or lose, we're here to have fun!

"What an entrance! It looks like this Jigglypuff was meant for the stage."

"That's right! Now Jigglypuff, use Ice Beam!" I called and Jigglypuff instantly jumped up into the air and inflated her body, tilting her head back then directed her Ice Beam up into the air, creating a shower of icicles to sparkle as they floated down and surrounded Jigglypuff, making everyone gasp in awe. "Now Jigglypuff, you know what to do. Let's amp up the power!" I directed and Jigglypuff instantly concentrated on her Ice Beam, forming a giant ball above her. "Now Pound!"

"Jiggly…puff!" Jigglypuff landed on the ground but then jumped straight back up with so much power she broke through the ice and it crumbled into a hundred chunks.

"Amazing! Now that's power." The commentator said as Jigglypuff then twirled to face the audience.

"And to finish it off Jigglypuff, use Sing!" I said, spreading my hands out and Jigglypuff instantly sang into her microphone. The musical notes floated from her mouth and as they hit the ice shards, they broke into brilliant beams of light like an aura, shining beautifully around Jigglypuff as everyone sighed and relaxed into her voice.

"Makes you..kinda sleepy…but it's so beautiful." To make sure everyone would stay awake, Jigglypuff stopped it there and drifted to the ground, posing as the multi-coloured lights continued to dazzle the audience. "That's quite a debut ladies and gentleman! It seems this new coordinator has some talent!"

"Or just some really great friends." I said to myself, looking at Janet who winked and gave a thumbs up, making me smile as I ran over to Jigglypuff then scooped her up, laughing as I hugged her close with her celebrating her first taste of stardom.

"And the judges have made their decisions. What will the score be?" I bit my lip and watched the big screen, waiting until finally, my score flashed up on screen. Twenty seven point eight! That's great! Especially for our first try.

"We did it Jigglypuff! We showed them how amazing you are." I squealed then hugged her tightly as she hugged me back. I made my way back to the waiting area where everyone was waiting.

"That was so beautiful Ruby, I knew you could do it!" May said as she ran over. "How did you come up with all of that?" I gave a laugh, looking to Jigglypuff on my shoulder before back at May.

"Actually, the Lotad from the lake inspired me. Remember how they used their Water Gun to give us that display? I just let that inspire me and the rest came with some experimenting. To be honest, it's all thanks to Janet and Jigglypuff. I owe you two!" I said with a smile but she shook her head.

"No, it's you who made it happen. I only helped you find Jigglypuff's inner beauty and let it shine outward."

"Jigglypuff." Jigglypuff nodded her head before hugging the back of my head with unbound happiness.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting! Now without further ado, I present to you, your finalists!" We all whirled around to look at the screen to see the top four coordinators going through, and I was one of them!

"No way! We did it Jigglypuff!" I squealed but then Ash tapped me on the shoulder.

"Uh, Ruby? You might want to take a look at who you're up against." He said so I looked again. Instantly my heart dropped and I yelped.

"Agh! I'm up against _Chaz_? But he's a professional coordinator! What am I going to do? I can't do this, what was I thinking? Stupid Ruby stupid Ruby stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"Jiggly…puff!" Suddenly Jigglypuff was Double Slapping me, waking me up out of my panic before she landed on a bench, hands on hips and glaring at me. "Jigglypuff Jigglypuff Puff!" I took a deep breath then exhaled, once again calm.

"Thanks Jigglypuff, I needed that."

"Jigglypuff." She said shortly with a nod of her head.

"Hey Ruby, so you're my opponent." Chaz said as he approached us with a smile. "I want to wish you good luck, it's going to be a great battle."

"You bet, Jigglypuff and I will give it our all." I told him and shook his hand. "Just don't feel too bad when you lose." That made him laugh.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Considering you'll be the one losing today." We faced one another with a smile before nodding our heads respectfully. I guess we'll only find out who wins after the battle. So let's get going! With us being the first ones up, we made our way to the battlefield.

Janet walked with me, giving some last minute advice. "Remember, you've got to make your attacks look as appealing as possible. Each attack you make will affect your final points, and you only have five minutes to make every move count, so go out there and do your best, but also have fun. That's the best way." She told me.

"Right. I got it." I said, looking down to Jigglypuff's Pokéball. "And we're strong no matter what, so this will be a great battle!"

"And here are our first contestants!" Our commentator called. "It's Chaz against Ruby, who I've heard participated in the Johot Silver Conference! One Pokémon has been trained to look beautiful, and the other trained to be powerful. Who will come out on top?" He questioned so I lifted my Pokéball.

"I'll tell you, it's Jigglypuff! Go Jigglypuff, it's show time!"

"Jigglypuff!" She chirped then made a perfect entry, spinning around then struck a pose, instantly making the audience ooh in admiration.

"Venomoth, let's go!" Chaz called and so the two Pokémon faced one another.

"And…begin!" The clock started so I moved first.

"Jigglypuff, use Ice Beam!" Jigglypuff blasted a powerful Ice Beam at Venomoth, who fluttered its wings quickly.

"Dodge it Venomoth, then use Psybeam!" Chaz countered so I had to think fast. Wait! Psybeam looks beautiful because of all its colours, which means…

"Jigglypuff, use Ice Beam again to create a wall!" I ordered and Jigglypuff instantly complied, directed her Ice Beam at the ground then built up at top speed, finishing just before the Psybeam attack hit. The ice burst into tiny little shards but also caught the light, dazzling and dancing around Jigglypuff as she smiled brightly and held out her microphone in a pose. "Nice work Jigglypuff, now let's use Double Slap double time!" I called and Jigglypuff instantly started running for Venomoth.

Jigglypuff leaped into the air and used Double Slap faster than you could blink, rattling Venomoth's head from side to side before she leaped back, waiting for a return attack. "Venomoth, use Stun Spore!" Chaz called and the stage was swept with a large cloak of sparkling orange, making Jigglypuff freeze and tense up as she lost her ability to move.

"No, Jigglypuff!" I lost a lot of points for that. "It's alright Jigglypuff, just try and stay still for the moment, let the Stun Spore wear off!" I called out to her as Chaz smirked.

"Now use Gust!" The Gust attack swept around the room, whipping around and around and Jigglypuff was lifted up into the air, crying out as she sustained damage from the attack, closing her eyes tightly.

"Jigglypuff!" Wait, she can still use her mouth and speak? Of course! That's it!

"Jigglypuff, use Sing and spin around with the Gust!" I ordered and instantly Jigglypuff began to spin, closing her eyes as she relaxed and let the wind carry her as she spun around gracefully, knocking off some of Chaz's points for taking advantage of his move before filling the entire hall with her voice, making everyone sigh happily as they relaxed into the sound.

Venomoth grew tired and drowsy, its Gust attack beginning to fail before it crashed to the ground and fell fast asleep, allowing Jigglypuff to drop down. "Jiggly!" She bounced once, twice, then sprang to her feet, flexing her muscles as she stood ready to continue battling. "Jigglypuff!"

"That's the way to do it!" I whooped before the bell sounded, making me stop and look to the scoreboards. No way, I'd won! I'd beaten Chaz by a decent number of points, which meant I was through to the final! "We did it Jigglypuff! You were super awesome out there!" I cheered, picking her up off the ground and although she cheered with me, she still couldn't move. "Oh right, you're still a little paralysed. Don't worry, I'll have you fixed up in no time." I told her and she smiled up at me.

"Jigglypuff." I hugged her to my cheek before turning and waving to the audience who all cheered loudly, though I could see Ash, Brock, May and Max all in the front row, cheering for us both louder than anyone else, Max even standing up on his seat.

I gave one last wave before walking over to Chaz and together shook hands. "Now that was a great battle. You sure know your Pokémon well, that's how you were able to bring out the best of Jigglypuff." He said to me as we left the stage.

"It felt so great! Right Jigglypuff? You looked so amazing out there and I totally loved coordinating, I could get used to this!" I said ecstatically as Jigglypuff beamed in my arms, kicking her feet happily as we returned to the waiting room. It was completely empty now save for us, the others having either left or gone to watch the battles from the stands. "Here you go Jigglypuff, this will help." I told her and gave her some medicine to counteract the paralysis then topped up her energy. "There. Better?"

"Jiggly?" She looked at her arms, finding she could move again before beaming. "Jigglypuff!"

"That's great, you have to be in top shape if we're going to beat Janet, but I know you'll be great win or lose. As I always say, you're a star in my eyes Jigglypuff!"

"Jigglypuff Jiggly!" Jigglypuff squealed then leaped at me, putting her arms around me and I hugged her tightly with a laugh before we both turned to watch Janet. I watched her technique and saw how she mainly used her Pokémon's move to dazzle the audience as well as take points from her opponent, so that means we'll either have to stop her from out moving us or use the same tactic to score even. "Jigglypuff." She nodded her head determinedly as, like we suspected, Janet came out on top and before I knew it, I was back on the battlefield facing Janet, Beautifly and Jigglypuff facing one another.

"Begin!" The time began to tick and Janet made the first move.

"Beautifly, Hidden Power!" Beautifly instantly formed glowing orbs around it in a stunning move, so I had to move quickly.

"Jigglypuff, dodge it and then use Sing!" I directed and Jigglypuff leaped out of the way, however the beam of Hidden Power suddenly followed after Jigglypuff and scored a direct hit. No way! Beautifly can control the path direction even after release? Did not expect that one.

"Jiggly!" Jigglypuff squealed, inflated her body just a moment before hitting the ground to save herself from getting hurt but then inflated again with anger at Beautifly. "Jigglypuff!"

"Okay then Jigglypuff, let's use Pound!" I decided instead, going for a close range attack. "And spin as you go in for it!" The crowd oohed at Jigglypuff's balletic movements as she ran at Beautifly, who easily moved out the way but Jigglypuff bounced on the ground then shot straight up into the air, knocking Beautifly down who instantly took a lot of damage. Looks like it doesn't have the endurance of my Pokémon.

"Beautifly, use String Shot to lock down Jigglypuff!"

"Dodge it!" Jigglypuff danced around the stage, leaping around, bouncing on her head and pulling faces as if it were all a game, making the audience all burst into fits of laughter as none of the attacks landed, and Janet suffered points. "Okay, then use Gust instead!"

"Jigglypuff, dodge again, only this time use Sing as you go!" I said with a smile, placing a hand on my hip as I watched the game unfurl. Jigglypuff bounced around as she sang, dancing about as she leaped out of reach of the gust and Beautifly instantly began to fall asleep.

"No Beautifly, stay awake! Use Morning Sun!" Not that move! Sure enough, the moment Beautifly began to glow I lost serious points, meaning Janet I were about even now.

"Keep using Sing Jiggylpuff!"

"Jiggly." She nodded her head then began to sing. Along with the bright glow of Beautifly which hid Jigglypuff from sight, and her mystical voice echoing through the hall, combing into a perfect double performance as everyone stared with awe struck smiles.

However being Jigglypuff, there wasn't anyone who could stay awake during her performance, Beautifly included. It stopped glowing and drifted to the ground and lay there as Janet yawned. "Beautifly…get up…"

"Alright now Jigglypuff…" I yawned too. "Huh? Oh, use Pound and then Ice Beam." I told her before slumping to the ground slightly, struggling to stay awake. Jigglypuff tossed Beautifly up into the air like a ball then used Ice Beam, creating a shimmering veil around her as Beautifly was lifted high up into the air before finally, the time was called. However by that time, everyone was fast asleep.

I woke up and looked around, instantly noticing the black pen markings on everyone's face. I burst into laughter, pointing at Janet who also laughed at me, the two of us finding the humour in the situation as Jigglypuff growled under her breath, glaring at the ground so I walked over to her. "Cheer up Jigglypuff, look at the board. We won!" I told her and she blinked.

"Jiggly?"

"Yes really, look!" I picked her up and we turned to see our pictures in bright flashing lights, naming us the winner by just a sparse few points. "We won Jigglypuff! We really won!"

"Jigglypuff!" She cheered and I lifted her high up over my head as the crowds came to and began to cheer.

"And by a tiny stretch, the winner is Ruby Bates! Why, I'm glad _I_ wasn't the one facing that fierce Jigglypuff's Double Slap!" The commentator joked. We received the Rustboro ribbon for our victory, which sparkled beautifully in my hand as Jigglypuff received a miniature ribbon on a cord to sit around her neck, crowning her the winner and she continued to bow and wave to her adoring fans until I chuckled.

"Alright you little star, I think you've earned yourself a long rest." I told her and she jumped up onto my shoulder, giving a yawn and snuggled into me, so I smiled to her whilst enjoying the taste of my first success in Pokémon contest, listening to the crowds as they cheered, whistled and yelled for us. "Thought so."


	16. Chapter 16

With me still glowing from my newest success in the Pokémon Contest, I felt like there was nothing that could dampen my spirits. Nothing at all. As we walked in the beautiful woods of Rustboro, not even May's sudden and ear piercing shriek made me fell irritated.

"What is it May?" Max asked his sister who looked as if she'd just seen a ghost.

"Something just popped out at me, and it's right over there!" She whined, pointing to a pink bug type Pokémon as it moved slowly away from us with wriggling feet.

"Cool! What is it?" Ash instantly turned to his Pokédex for information as I crowded closer for a better look, gripping onto Ash's shoulders as I peered over to see the screen.

"Wurmple, the worm Pokémon. Wurmple live primarily off of sap from trees. The suction cups on its feet keep it from slipping." The voice told us and I looked at the cute little bug Pokémon. I wonder if Misty would hate this one too. It is pretty cute, with those big eyes and all.

"You know, I'm pretty sure Wurmple evolve into Beautifly. Right Brock?" Max said and Brock nodded his head.

"Yeah that's right."

"That thing's going to become a Beautifly?" May questioned in surprise before turning to look back to where the Wurmple had disappeared to. "I guess when you get used to it, it is kind of cute. I know!" She suddenly declared, her eyes brightening with an idea. "I'll catch it! Hey! Wait for me Wurmple!"

"Hey May, wait up! Don't go too far ahead!" I called out then ran after her as she tried to locate the Wurmple.

"Wurmple! Wurmple! Come on out Wurmple!"

"What's the big rush sis?" Max questioned as the boys all caught up, struggling for breath slightly whilst us two girls were perfectly fine.

"I just didn't want that Wurmple to get away." May said innocently, making Brock smile down at her.

"I'm a little surprised that you have a thing for a bug Pokémon like this one, May." He admitted so she lifted her hands to her face, eyes shining brightly.

"I know but just think, if Wurmple is raised well then it'll evolve into a Beautifly! Remember how gorgeous Janet's Beautifly was? Someday I hope to enter a Pokémon Contest with a Beautifly of my very own." She sighed dreamily and the boys began to catch on.

"I guess you really liked that contest, huh May?" Ash said nicely and May's smile grew even brighter if that were possible.

"Definitely! And for the next contest I'm going to win a first place ribbon."

"Yeah, that's great! Hey guys I know it's a little early but why don't we take a break for lunch anyway?" Brock suggested and Max instantly lifted a hand with a grin.

"Okay!"

"Not me." May revealed, making us all do a double take and stare at her. May say no to food? Wow, she must really want that Wurmple. "I'm going to go catch that Wurmple, bye!"

"Wait May!" Max started to go after her but I rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Leave her be squirt, I think going out and catching that Wurmple on her own is exactly what May needs to gain some confidence and experience." I told him with a ruffle of his hair. "May will be fine, Torchic will take good care of her and in the meantime, we can start on lunch."

"Okay. Sounds great." He said. "Ruby, will you and Brock teach me more about cooking? I wanna make sure I can do stuff for myself when I'm out travelling, and now would be a great time to learn!" He requested, looking up at Brock and I with big doe eyes.

"How can we refuse a face like that?" Brock reasoned as I chuckled.

"You got it squirt. Come on, how about noodle soup?" I suggested and he leaped up into the air.

"Alright!" So we made dinner together, Brock showing him how much of the ingredients to put in after cutting them up and I showed him how to keep the fire at a perfect heat and which seasonings to use until finally, we were all set.

Ash had laid out all of the Pokémon's food, so I let Charizard, Latias and Jigglypuff out for some lunch. "Come and get it whilst it's hot!" I snag brightly then laughed as I was surrounded by Pokémon, all of which cuddling close to bribe some food out of me. "Alright! Alright! Take it easy guys." I giggled before setting down their bowls, though Charizard's was set on the table as it was a little bigger than everyone else's, though it held more or less the same portion of food, only mixed with berries and nutrients which made it more filling for him but still gave him all the energy he needed.

"Hey, May's back!" Max announced, standing up and we looked around as May walked towards us, a plain smile on her face as she approached. "Well? Did you catch your Wurmple?" Her brother asked before smirking. "Or did you mess that up too?"

"See for yourself. Lunch time everyone!" She called out happily to reveal both Torchic and her new Wurmple, who lifted its head and sniffed the air.

"Wurmple." Before we could stop it, it had tucked its head into all the Pokémon's food bowls, munching it all away then moved onto our soup, drinking it all up and sucking every noodle until finally going for Charizard's food bowl, but he growled and lifted it out of reach, though Wurmple managed to get a few bites in.

"Well it certainly has a healthy appetite." Brock noted as we all just stared in shock, the Pokémon all wearing open mouthed expressions.

"A little too healthy if you ask me." I said with an arched eyebrow, watching the Wurmple as it crawled over to May, yawned then curled up into a ball to fall asleep.

"Yeah. It ate all our food then just fell asleep." Max said as May smiled then knelt down.

"Good thing it's so cute." She told us brightly as she picked up her now full Wurmple as I dug around in my bag and pulled out my extra supplies of Pokémon food.

"Yeah, looks get you everywhere. I should know." Brock joked and we all laughed as I began popping open cans.

"Now who's hungry?!" Without warning I suddenly had a hoard of Pokémon running for me, making me cry out and almost drop the cans of food as several tongues began to gratefully lick my face, Pikachu sitting on my chest as he squealed happily and Torchic pecked at my hair, all of them glad that I'd thought to bring spare food in case of new additions to the team, though they were now crushing me. I couldn't help but laugh, however Max very unhelpfully decided to take a photo instead of helping me to get back up.

"Max! You little squirt, I'll get you for that!" I vowed before shrieking with laughter as Latias nudged my side to tickle me, and everyone joined in with my laughter, finding my situation too hilarious to even think to help.

Thanks guys. Really appreciate it.

Late that night, I woke up to find May sitting up in her sleeping bag, looking up at the stars with a contemplative expression. Seeing the need for a friend, I got up and walked over to her. "Hey, mind if I join you?" I asked her and she nodded her head.

"Sure, go for it. I was just thinking." She told me before looking upwards again. I allowed a few moments more of silence before I gently reached out to her.

"May, you don't want to do battle in gyms, do you?" I asked and she blinked at me.

"How'd you know that?" I gave a smile and a gentle chuckle.

"I'm not as dense as the boys are. I actually pay attention you know. You always get twitchy whenever gym battles come up, and you haven't been taking your training seriously." She lowered her head slightly. "If you knew you didn't want to be a trainer, then why did you apply for a starter Pokémon?"

"I thought it would be a great way to travel around and see places. To be honest, I didn't even like Pokémon in the beginning. I thought they were all creepy and weird." She admitted and I nodded my head, giving her a pointed look.

"I kinda figured that much out for myself. But I can see you love your Pokémon now, which is good. If you didn't, then we'd have a serious problem." I informed her, making her giggle slightly. "So what do you want to do?"

"I don't know. I'm a little confused. If I don't become a trainer, my dad will be so disappointed in me, and then I'd be useless, doing absolutely nothing." May sighed then placed her head in one hand. "I'm a loser."

"Stop that." I told her firmly. "You know that's not true, and your dad will be proud of you no matter what." Sitting up a little straighter I looked up at the starry night sky. "You don't have to be a trainer if you don't want to. Some people capture Pokémon and just keep them as companions. That's okay too, you know."

"I know that, but I really want to do _something_." She said, looking up as well. "I owe it to Torchic and Wurmple."

"Well, then, how about you become a top coordinator?" I suggested, turning to look at her as I leaned back on my hands. "You and I both know that's what you really want to try, just by watching that contest you were so hooked there was nothing else you could talk about except Janet's Beautifly and how amazing it was."

"Really? A coordinator?" She repeated. "But isn't that what you want to be? How did you just decide to become one like that when you were a trainer before?"

"I still am a trainer. When I'm ready, I'll go back to collecting badges, but I'd love to give coordinating a try as well. It's a whole new style of battling, and I want to do my best in it. There's nothing to say you can't be a regional champion for both contest and battle." Giving a shrug I shifted around to face her. "Just think about what it is you want." I advised her. "It's always your choice, May, and you have your friends here to help and support you in whatever it is you want to do. Okay?" May blinked at me before nodding her head, looking a little more relaxed.

"Okay."

"Great. Now try and get some sleep." I said before moving back over to my sleeping bag where Latias was curled up, so I slipped back inside and she instantly yawned, turning over and snuggled into me and I smiled before falling into a peaceful night's sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

"Pikachu, Iron Tail let's go!" Ash called and I looked up from the garden table we'd occupied at a cute little restaurant for some breakfast before heading over to the Rustboro gym. Ash of course, simply couldn't wait and was still training with Pikachu, however as Pikachu's tail began to glow and it split the rock in half with apparent ease, I figured they'd pretty much nailed it. "Yeah that's it!"

"Pikachu!" They both cheered and I chuckled, pouring a little syrup over my pancakes.

"Now just remember your timing, okay buddy?"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu waved his arms with a bright grin, assuring Ash he had everything under control.

"Pikachu is so cute." May said softly as we all watched.

"And his Iron Tail is almost perfect!" Max agreed as he watched with awe and fascination, the steam from his pancakes fogging up his glasses until I chuckled then pulled out a handkerchief I had recently taken to carrying around for this very reason.

"Here squirt, let me help you out." I said, reaching out and took his glasses, gave them a clean then handed them back.

"Thanks Ruby." He said to me and I winked at him as Brock remarked how hard they had both been working.

"Now Pikachu, just one more time for me." Ash said before pointing to another rock. "Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Pikachu jumped up high, tail glowing brightly but as he twisted around, his tail lost its shine and Pikachu landed on the rock with a bump before tiling his head to the side in confusion.

"Pika?"

"Oh well…" Ash said, hanging his head so I lifted up his plate of pancakes.

"You better get over here genius before I eat your food." I said, lifting my chin slightly and within the next second, Ash had raced over so fast to take away the plate before I could start chowing down.

"No way! These pancakes are _mine_." He said possessively before sitting down and began to add some toppings. Pikachu jumped up and sat in the chair between us, accepting the plate of Pokémon food and began to munch away on his favourite snack.

"The Iron Tail still a little shaky, huh?" Brock questioned and Ash's fallen face remained a little hopeless.

"Yeah."

"Well seeing as Roxanne's Geodude is at a pretty high level, even with Iron Tail it's going to be a pretty tough battle, right?" Brock reasoned and Ash gave a little nod of his head as he tried to think.

"And you May?" Max asked his sister but she just continued to munch on her pancake. "What's your strategy going to be for this battle?"

"Oh, I think I'll pass." She informed everyone and the boys all stared at her, dumbfounded before chorusing together their shock.

"You'll pass?!"

"That's what I've decided." She said simply and cheerfully and I gave her a secret wink which made her smile back.

"You're going to pass? After coming all this way?" Ash repeated stupidly so I whacked the back of his head.

"That's what she said, genius, weren't you listening? Tell 'em May." She giggled before nodding her head, turning to face everybody.

"I've decided that I want to become a Pokémon coordinator. Remember? Just like Janet was!" Everyone's jaws dropped open as they stared at May, completely stupefied by her decision. Was it really that surprising? Guess they were denser than I thought.

"But why would you give up on being a Pokémon trainer after coming all this way?" Max practically yelled at his sister thought she remained calm and cool as a cucumber.

"Well, I'll tell you the truth Max. I never really wanted to be a Pokémon trainer, all I ever really wanted was to get out and travel and see different places, being a trainer was the perfect excuse to do all that. And, if I'm being perfectly honest, I never really liked Pokémon before, but now I really love them. Torchic, Wurmple, Pikachu, so I'm glad I went through all that and became a trainer, because it helped me appreciate Pokémon." She said to her brother before looking to Ash and Brock. "You remember that Pokémon contest, and I just knew that was right for me right away. Those Pokémon were cute and strong, and they're the kind of Pokémon I want. Ones that'll take your breath away!"

The boys sat in silence for a moment or two, processing May's heartfelt speech until finally, Ash smiled. "Well if that's what you want to do May, then we're with you all the way!" That's great thinking genius.

"Yeah and we'll be sure to help you with whatever you need to become an awesome Pokémon coordinator." Brock told her and May smiled at them both.

"Thanks guys!" Now Max slumped on the table, putting his head over his arms as he grumbled.

"You know it's not going to be easy being a Pokémon coordinator and stuff." He said but May still smiled.

"Oh Max, I know that. That's why I'm going to work as hard as I possibly can. You're behind me too, aren't you?" Max fiddled with his glasses, pushing them a little further up the bridge of his nose as he looked at his sister closely, scrutinising her before finally giving in.

"Yeah I guess so."

"Thanks Max, you're the best!" May beamed before standing up. "Well come on! Let's go watch Ash win his first Hoenn League badge!"

"Amen to that." I agreed, standing up then held out my arm. "Come on Pikachu, are you ready to put your Iron Tail to practice?" I asked as he shot up my arm then sat on my shoulder, holding onto my hat for balance and standing on my bag.

"Pika!" He nodded his head enthusiastically before showing off the muscles in his arms. "Pika Pika! Pika _chu_." He emphasised so I nodded my head.

"That's right, you're not afraid of anything." I translated before grabbing Ash's jacket. "Come on Ash! Let's go already!"

"Okay! Okay! Isn't it supposed to be _me_ who can't wait to get going to a gym battle?" He asked as I pulled him along. The gym was pretty impressive, very similar to how I remember Brock's gym back in Pewter City. It was surrounded by huge rocks, making for part of the décor as we climbed the steps.

" _This_ is the Rustboro gym?" May asked in disbelief as we all looked at it.

"It's nothing like the Petalburg gym that's for sure." Max noted as Ash stood with Pikachu now on his shoulder, facing the gym fearlessly.

"Well, I'm ready to go." He decided before walking on inside. We all opened the front doors, Ash calling out. "Hello? I'm here for a gym battle." He said as we walked inside to find a massive battlefield of rocks and solid ground, ideal for rock type Pokémon and also very similar to Brock's gym. It is literally like taking a step down memory lane.

"Wow, look at that battlefield!" Max yelled excitedly and I had to grab the back of his shirt to stop him from running forwards.

"Yeah, it's perfect for rock type Pokémon." Brock agreed as I held onto the little squirt. I noticed the back doors opening and a woman walked out with long brown hair, a simple grey dress and matching fuchsia tights, necktie and ribbons at the back of her head.

"Welcome. To the Rustboro Gym!" She called out, spreading her hands wide in greeting. "I am Roxanne, leader of this gym and I shall be your opponent. Will the challenger please step forwards." Brock, however, had other ideas.

"My love!" He suddenly cried out and made to run forwards but with my free hand I snagged the back of his shirt and held him back too with a blank, unimpressed expression.

"I don't think so Romeo. Roxanne is here for _Ash_ , not for you." I told him as I continued to restrain him with ease despite the fact Brock was still running against the ground, trying to reach Roxanne. "Go for it Ash." I whispered to him, letting go of Max and gave him a promising punch on the shoulder before we all drew back, though I dragged Brock to the stands where we all sat to observe.

"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and I challenge you to a battle for the Rustboro gym badge." He called out boldly and Roxanne smiled.

"You mean this?" She held out a bronze badge with two arrowheads pointing away from one another. "This is the Stone Badge. Defeat me and I shall reward your victory with this little trinket. This battle will be a two on two elimination, and only you will be allowed to substitute Pokémon. Is that agreeable to you, Ash?" She asked, walking up to her place on one side of the battlefield as Ash took the other.

"It's fine by me." He nodded his head and so we all moved up into the stands. The referee called out the participants names and the ground rules before calling begin and I could feel Max trembling with excitement.

"This is so exciting, my first gym battle!"

"Didn't your dad ever let you watch gym battles back at the Petalburg gym?" Brock asked but Max shook his head, not taking his eyes away from the battlefield as Ash called out Treecko and Roxanne sent out a Geodude.

"Nope. He didn't want the challenger's concentration to be disrupted, so he never let us watch." Max explained as May listened to the information her Pokédex had on Geodude. We watched as Treecko's Quick Attack was blocked by Geodude's defence, then used Mega Punch to shoot Treecko up into the air, making Max cry out in alarm however I merely smiled. I know exactly what Ash is going to do now.

"Use Pound!" Yup. There we are. By combining speed and power into the Pound attack, Treecko will no doubt be able to deal out some damage and sure enough, Geodude went sliding backwards and rocks tumbled around it upon connecting with a taller mound.

"Somehow that attacked worked, but how?!"

"I see, it's the speed!" Brock realised. "You see, by adding the speed of Treecko's fall into that attack and putting body weight into it too, it multiplied the attack." Brock explained and Max blinked before looking back to the battle.

"Wow, just like Ash said, it really was their chance. Ash is so awesome!" I looked down to see Max's eyes grow sparkly with admiration so I smirked to myself before looking back to the battle. Treecko was knocked out by Geodude's attack and defensive power, but after Pikachu got out there and used his impressive Thunder attack to level the playing field, things got a little more interesting.

With the ground all broken up, Geodude's heavy weight got stuck in the rifts, allowed Pikachu to get in close with Quick Attack before a final Thunder which knocked Geodude out. That's totally Ash's style, taking you by surprise.

"Very good Ash, in all my time training with Geodude, we've never lost to an electric Pokémon. Let's see how you deal with this one. Nosepass, I choose you!" Hold up now, what's a Nosepass? I pulled out my Pokédex then listened as I saw a strange rock Pokémon shaped like a head with a large nose appear.

"Nosepass, the compass Pokémon. Nosepass has a nose that functions as an electromagnet, and determines location by moving its nose about." Wow, that's pretty neat. Like a compass but supersized.

"Let's finish this up once and for all. Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Ash yelled loudly and Pikachu raced forwards, leaping up into the air then scored a direct hit against Nosepass who stumbled backwards.

"Alright! It worked!" Max and May cheered together as I smiled.

"Way to go Pikachu! Keep it up little buddy!" Pikachu turned a smile at us before concentrating again. It was a close battle, keeping Max on the edge of his seat the entire time as Pikachu was trapped with Rock Tomb, a move I've never seen before, and then blew it away with Thunder attack.

Things became tense, especially the more tired Pikachu became as the battle wore on, however after receiving a Zap Cannon, it was like a super charge and Pikachu was full of energy once more, and he slammed into Nosepass with the extra energy he had been carrying, causing paralysis.

"Yeah! Go Pikachu!" I yelled, leaping up and punching the air. I had almost forgotten how awesome these battles always were. I watched in avid anticipation as, with a final Iron Tail, Nosepass as defeated and Pikachu stood victorious. The four of us all cheered for both Ash and Pikachu as Roxanne gracefully accepted defeat and awards Ash the Stone Badge with her congratulations and thanks for such a great battle as we all ran to Ash and Pikachu. "You two were awesome!" I called, opening my arms and Pikachu flew from Ash's shoulder and into my embrace, letting me hug him as I spun around on one foot. "I knew you had it in you Pikachu, you're one of a kind!"

"Hey, how about we go celebrate with some lunch?" Brock said to us all after we'd left the gym. "I vote we stop for pizza then head into the city for some sightseeing."

"Ooh! Can we go shopping?" May asked, clasping her hands together and I gave her a thumbs up.

"You and I can go and look at all the sales there are, and the boys can carry our bags." I told her and she squealed again before running off.

"Then come on what are we waiting for?" We all laughed and chased after her, all except Ash who looked down at the badge in his hand.

"Ash? You coming?" I asked and he lifted his head.

"Yeah. I just can't believe it. I got a Stone Badge!" He cheered, spinning around then held it out in my face in a celebratory pose with Pikachu jumping up into the air.

"Pi Pikachu!" I laughed, swatted his hand away then gripped his wrist.

"Come on! I'm starving and I bet you and Pikachu could use something to eat too. Let's go already!" So we ran after the others, bright smiles on our faces as we were all one step further in our journey.


	18. Chapter 18

"So, let me get this straight. Whilst I was out shopping for our supplies, you guys all got invited to the Devon Corporation because Max made friends with the director, chased down this guy who is apparently from a secret organisation called Team Aqua, followed him to the roof where Team Rocket showed up, then stopped him from getting away on this hand glider rocket thing, then you all totally got dinner with Mr Stone? No way!" I cried out in frustration. "Why did I have to be the sensible one this time?!"

"Don't worry Ruby, Mr Stone says we're all welcome to drop in any time we like, and Max even has something to tell you." I turned to look at Max who blushed a little and fiddled with his glasses.

"I got talking about your great idea for a new sanctuary system for Pokémon, and Mr Stone loves it! He said for me to tell you that if you ever needed any help, you can ask him directly." I stared at Max. Ask Mr Stone for help? For funding? No…way…

"Max!" I squealed with joy and grabbed him under his arms to lift him up into the air, spinning around and around with him as he laughed. "You are the greatest! Thank you so much! This is amazing, now my plans can really start taking shape if I can find the land and more funding from supporters, this can really become a possibility!" I hugged him tight as we both laughed then I kissed his cheek, making him go stiff as a board and bright scarlet, making me giggle as I put him down. "You're a great kid, squirt. Carry on like this and I might have to adopt you as _my_ brother."

"Oh please, go on right ahead." May said dismissively with a wave of her hand, making me chuckle and smile.

"So, whilst you guys were all out saving the day, would you like to see what I got you all?" I asked and instantly they all faced me.

"Yes please!"

"Pikachu!" I chuckled as Pikachu leaped onto my shoulder, tapping me gently with his tail and I pulled out his present first.

"Of course I didn't forget you Pikachu, here, it's a bottle of ketchup just for you." His eyes sparkled brightly as he squealed, staring at the gift in my hand and almost fell off my shoulder but Ash lunged forwards and caught him.

"Pikachu! Are you alright buddy?" Pikachu shook himself awake then turned in Ash's arms, smiling broadly at my present.

"Pikachu!" We all chuckled as Pikachu clung to his ketchup bottle and began to drink it just like that. For May I had found a bottle of perfume in a shatterproof glass bottle because she complains about smelling of the road all the time, and for Brock a new stationary set as he'd run out of notebooks to record his research into Pokémon breeding and had also ran out of pens. For Ash I'd bought a few magazines all about the Hoenn Pokémon and their moves to help him learn a little more and finally, for Max, I had found a small Treecko figurine. It wasn't a toy, but I thought he'd like it nonetheless.

"So you don't mind having to wait for your real Pokémon _as_ much." I told the little squirt with a wink and he looked up at me, staring slightly before flinging his arms around me and I rested my hand on his head.

"Thanks Ruby, you're the best." He told me and I chuckled, ruffling his hair slightly.

"I know." I teased just before Nurse Joy approached us.

"Excuse me, but you have a phone call Ruby." She informed me then gestured with a hand towards the phone booths. "I believe it is from a Mr Oak." That must be the professor, I hope everything is okay back home, we'd only just called him this morning.

"Thanks Nurse Joy. I'll go take it right now." I said and went over to the booth where the light was flashing. I pressed 'receive' to take the call but the person who showed up on the screen was _not_ who I was expecting. "Gary?!"

"Hey Rubes. You look different." He said to me simply as I just blinked. Gary had called me? "Your hair isn't as messy as it used to be." I touched the relatively neat ponytail I wore my hair in under my hat before blushing slightly.

"You look the same arrogant jerk I always knew." I answered with a shrug. "So what do you want?" He smirked slightly then chuckled.

"I wanted to congratulate you on your debut in the Rustboro Contest. You looked quite good out there, or at least your Jigglypuff did." He said and I instantly fell out my chair in shock. He'd seen my contest? Actually WATCHED me battle and perform with Jigglypuff? What?! "Rubes? You okay?"

"Uh huh!" I lied a little breathlessly as I stood back up, using the seat to help me before looking back at him. "But how did you know I was competing?"

"Ash and Brock put in a message to grandpa who sent it through to me. The whole town is talking about it, they can't wait to see you next time. You're going to be the first coordinator from Pallet Town in a long time." Well thanks Gary, that really makes me feel a whole lot better.

"How come you only call now?"

"Well, it's been a while since I've been to a Pokémon Centre. I've been doing research, remember? So I'm a little busy. I called grandpa and he told me where you were, so I thought I'd just drop a congratulations and some advice. Try not to mess up without me there to rescue you." I growled angrily, standing up and glaring at him.

"I do not mess up! And you do not _always_ save me, you helped out like, one time!" He arched an eyebrow.

"More than that, I think."

"That's not true." I argued hotly, feeling my pride spike as I folded my arms and looked away with a lift of my chin.

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not!"

"Is too Rubes, and you know it. Shall I count them off for you? The time you fell off a cliff, the time you almost drowned, the other time you almost drowned, the time when you…"

"Okay. Fine. More than once." I finalised, slapping a hand to my head with a groan. I do not need to relive all of that. It's just too painful, still being in Gary Oak's debt. Totally unfair! "Is that all you really called for? To gloat?" He shook his head.

"No, I meant what I said. You looked great out there, I was impressed. I'll watch your next contest if I can, but don't get your hopes up." He told me with that cocky look on his face. Sometimes I just want to wipe that expression clean off! But other times I can't help but admit how darn good looking he is. It's funny to think I can remember him running around the sand pit in diapers. He used to break my sandcastles and make me cry.

"Hey, is that Gary?" I heard Ash ask before he appeared at my shoulder then smiled. "Hey! Gary! How's everything going?"

"It's going great Ash, thanks for asking. You keeping Ruby out of trouble?" He asked and Ash leaned forwards, practically shoving me out of the screen.

"Yeah, Pikachu and I are taking care of everyone, right buddy?"

"Pikachu Pika!" He nodded his head as he clung to Ash's hair for support.

"That's good. Your Pikachu looks great."

"Yeah, we just learned the Iron Tail attack, we used it to beat Roxanne at the Rustboro gym and we won a Stone Badge!" Ash proudly displayed it and Gary chuckled, nodding his head.

"Grandpa told me, congratulations Ash, I know you worked hard for it but don't let one victory let you go soft. Those other gym leaders are going to be tough too, tougher in fact. You better keep training hard." Gary warned but Ash merely waved a dismissive hand.

"No sweat, Pikachu and I will take them all. Right buddy?" Pikachu cheered in agreement before Ash turned back to Gary. "Did Ruby tell you? She missed out on meeting the president of Devan Corp! Whilst she was out getting supplies, the rest of us got a free tour of the headquarters and even helped recover some stolen capsules, and Ruby missed it all!" For that, I whacked him on the back of the head. Hard.

"Okay genius, lights out for you I think." I told him shortly as he yelped in pain but I ignored him as he groaned on the floor.

"Well, I'd better go. See you around Rubes." Gary said to me but before he could cut out I gave him a look.

"It's Ruby." He smirked then winked at me before finally, the screen went dark. "Stupid Gary Oak." I muttered under my breath before walking away though Brock, May and Max all approached.

"Did I hear you say Gary? The Gary you and Ash sometimes talk about?" May asked but Max leaped out in front.

"You mean Gary Oak, the grandson of Professor Oak and the one Ash defeated in the second round?" He asked and I nodded my head stiffly, arms still folded across my chest as I glared at the ground with a stiff upper lip.

"Yup. That's the one."

"Ah, it's so sweet to see young romance." Nurse Joy said, popping up behind me.

"WHAT?!" I practically yelled, leaping away from her in horror as she chuckled.

"It's as plain as day, I couldn't help but overhear a little of your disputing, and I just think it's so romantic. You miss him so much that you're angry at him all the time, so you argue and fight but deep down, you harbour strong feelings for him." I felt like vomiting.

"No way. No way! I am not harbouring feelings for Gary or anyone else! That's just gross." I denied instantly but Nurse Joy just continued to smile.

"Denial is the first sign of love, you know."

"In that case, I can't deny how beautifully wonderful I think you are!" Brock declared, going down on one knee and took Nurse Joy's hand in his tight grip. "The way your eyes shine, your sparkling smile, your perfect hair! Your…"

" _Enough_! I think it should be lights out for you too!" I yelled, grabbing Brock's ear and dragged him back from Nurse Joy as he yelped in pain. Once he was a suitable distance away I sat down and crossed my arms, turning my head away from everyone to hide my bright red blush as I grumbled to myself.

"Stupid Gary Oak."


	19. Chapter 19

We caught the afternoon boat out of Rustboro and made our way to Dewford Island where the next gym battle awaited Ash. With it getting there so late, we stayed the night at the Pokémon centre then were woken up by Ash getting ready for his battle, already psyched and ready to go. If only I could say the same for myself. And the others.

"Great, we're all set now. Pikachu, are you ready to challenge the Dewford gym?" Ash asked as I slowly made my way out after them with Brock and Max, all of us yawning as we went.

"Pika Pika!" Max gave a huge stretch before slumping slightly, his eyes still barely half open as sleep still clung to him.

"Those two are sure raring to go aren't they Brock." He noted to our older friend who nodded his head.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure he wants to go and win his second badge whilst he's still hot off his victory at the Rustboro gym." He said just as another yawn sounded behind us, making us all turn to see May walking towards us whilst still clutching her pillow.

"A gym battle this early should be illegal." She complained sleepily as her brother just blinked then pointed to her pillow.

"Uh, May? What is that you're carrying?" He asked and she looked down in surprise before yelping and her cheeks blushed deeply.

"Funny, I almost took my pillow from the Pokémon centre." She beamed at us all before hurrying to take the pillow back to her room. Once the pillow had been returned, we all made our way after Ash who'd run to the gym but before he could open the doors, they were flung open from the inside and a stampede of girls carrying surfboards came rushing out, hitting Ash in the process and he fell to the ground, groaning.

"Those surprise attacks are no fair." He muttered as we all walked closer.

"Hey, dude! Probably not the best place for you to be taking a nap you know." Someone said and we noticed a guy with awesome pale blue hair, wearing a shirt and swim shorts and carried a green surfboard under his arm.

"I know, you see…"

"So many beautiful surfer girls!" Brock cried out but before he could run over to them I gripped the back of his jacket and kept him firmly in place despite his feet running into the sand.

"Oh I don't think so Casanova, this is a strict look but no touching area." I said with a serious expression as Max looked up at me, blinking with his mouth slightly open.

"Can I help you with something bro?" The guy asked as he knelt down before Ash.

"Uh huh, I'm looking for the gym leader." Ash explained and the guy laughed before pointing to himself.

"No way, I'm him!" He grinned broadly and Ash did a double take in disbelief. "Brawley, leader of the Dewford gym. Are you here to challenge me little man?"

"Yeah! I'm Ash from Pallet Town." Ash introduced but before he could go on, Brawley lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his head, giving a slightly guilty but otherwise not too shamed expression to Ash.

"Sorry dude, no can do. You see right up until yesterday, the onshore scene was totally gnarly with some really wicked wavage, but today there's a radical showing just offshore, so come on back tomorrow. Hey, surfs up!" Brawley called out as he took off running and instantly he had a hoard of girls chasing after him, all giggling and squealing as they made for the beach. Waves? Surfing? Alright! Count me in for sure, I want some of that action!

"Totally gnarly with some really wicked wavage?" Ash repeated in confusion.

"Anyone speak that language?" Max asked with a slightly baffled face.

"Not me."

"The nerve of that guy!" Ash yelled after Brock had spoken. "After I'd gotten myself all psyched up for this battle, what kind of a gym leader is he?"

"Ash, it is possible to be a gym leader and enjoy life a little bit you know. Come on, I think we should all check out that radical face too!" She said before chasing after the others towards the beach and I smiled. Waves here I come!

"Wait for me May!" I laughed, leaving the boys behind until we all found our way to the beach, Ash looking grumpy because of his postponed gym match with Brawley. I kicked off my shoes with a laugh, feeling the warm sand under my feet then took off my clothes at the same time as May, making Max yell in fear.

"Hold on! You can't change your clothes on the beach!" But as I tossed aside my shirt, wearing my swimsuit, red neckerchief and my hat still, I turned around and winked at Max.

"Don't worry squirt, May and I put on our swimsuits under our clothes this morning, figuring we'd be coming to the beach sooner or later. Now, who's going surfing?!" I cheered, leaping up then ran over to the surfboard rental shack, got myself a board then paddled out into the water as it glistened.

I guess I owe Misty's sisters an extra set of thanks for teaching me how to surf, along with all that swimming tuition. I believe their excuse was so that when on the beach, boys will pay more attention to a girl who knows how to surf the waves, but I just love it! It's so much fun! "Oh yeah, woohoo!" I cheered, pushing myself up then stood on my board to ride a huge wave, which carried me back towards the beach.

"Hey, not bad!" Brawley called out as he and his Pokémon surfed closer. "Those are some rad moves you got there."

"Thanks, I learned from the best." I said with a broad smile before looking at his Pokémon. "What _is_ that?" Brawley looked at his yellow bodied and black fisted Pokémon before laughing.

"That's my pal Makuhita, we love surfing the waves together. Right dude?"

"Maku!" Makuhita agreed, punching his fists together and I laughed, smiling brightly before leaning forwards, guiding my board to make a turn then rose up off the wave, clutching the end as I spun with a loud cheer before I rode the back of the wave back down, heading for another one.

"Sweet!" Brawley laughed as he and Makuhita followed. "Let's see what else you got." He challenged so I turned to him with a competitive smirk.

"You got it. I'll race you to the finish." I told him before paddling towards the next big wave, which topped the last one tenfold. It was huge! "Alright, bring it on!" I rose up the water, standing carefully as I found my balance as Brawley called out to his Makuhita.

"Awesome form dude, you are the king, I mean number one!" I gave a grin before facing forwards but on the beach, I noticed Ash running forwards and he faced Brawley with an annoyed expression.

"Hey! Since you have time to play around, don't you have time to face me in a battle?" He demanded but Brawley just gave him an exasperated look.

"I told you little dude, I'm not doing any battling today, don't you get it?" He shouted back as his Makuhita began to lose its balance, dancing from foot to foot as the force of the wave began to slide the board from underneath it. "Concentrate, don't get distracted. You're losing your balance Makuhita." Makuhita struggled for a moment or two more before finally finding its footing.

"Maku!"

"Come on, please?!" Ash called out before diving into the water. Stupid genius.

"Gotta say, that's one determined dude."

"That's Ash for you." I said to Brawley with a sigh. "He just never quits." Just then Ash popped up between us, gasping for breath as he too was carried with the wave's power. What on earth was he thinking?

"My battle?" He asked just as the wave began to fold.

"Watch out!" I yelled then somehow managed to grab Ash out of the water, dragging him onto my board then cut through the water as it rolled towards the beach, soaking us through but I managed to get us as far in as possible before the wave crashed and we were both taking to the shore.

I groaned slightly, feeling Ash's water soaked weight on top of me. Great. At the bottom of the pile, again. "Ash, get off of me before I throw you into the ocean and let it drown you!" I yelled at the end, making him yell and leap off me.

"I'm sorry! Just please don't hurt me." He pleaded so I stood and dusted myself off, giving a stiff upper lip look.

"Fine, just this once." I said before walking over to Brawley. "Hey, you two okay?" I asked as he helped his Makuhita sit up.

"Yeah, we're both fine. Hanging in there." He laughed as Ash rushed around to face him.

"Please! Won't you just battle with me?" He begged, throwing his hands out wide and Brawley blinked at him for a second, surprised by Ash's determination. I gotta say, I know Ash likes to battle but to throw himself into a wave just to ask for a gym match…that's pretty persistent. Plus, a little crazy too.

"Pika!" Pikachu suddenly cried as a net clamped down around him and pulled him out to a boat that Team Rocket sat in, their faces alight with smirks as Meowth laughed aloud.

"Hey, Pikachu!" Instantly I was battle ready, lifting up my surfboard as I yelled out to Team Rocket.

"You give Pikachu back right now or I'm coming in after you!" I warned them but they merely laughed again.

"You don't scare us twerp, we're used to having Jessie with us." Meowth yelled back but Jessie pummelled her fist directly down onto his head, flattening him.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" She demanded to know, glowing bright red in anger as she held Pikachu in her lap. Pikachu glared then tried to use Thunderbolt but the net somehow managed to absorb the attack, leaving no harm done to Team Rocket.

"Haha! Nice try but this net is insulated against electrical attacks, so give it all you got, it's not going to do nothing." Meowth crowed before Team Rocket all cheered out.

"Got to go!"

"Oh no you don't, get back here!" I yelled, running into the surf then began to paddle after them, focusing on their boat as they began to speed away and once I was a decent way out, I picked up Charizard's Pokéball from my belt, planning to let him pull me along across the water but just then, Makuhita blurred past, whirring his arms to skim over the water then with amazing power, slammed into the boat and Pikachu went flying out of Jessie's arms.

"Pika!"

"Pikachu! Don't worry, I got you!" I called out, sitting up and instantly held out my arms, smiling as Pikachu landed safely then giggled as he licked my face gratefully. "See? Friends stick together." I said as I pulled off the net. "Now, let's give them a Thunderbolt!"

"Pika! Pika…CHUUUUU!" Pikachu yelled as I threw him up into the air, his powerful bolt striking the boat and it exploded, sending Team Rocket up into the air with a wail.

"We're blasting off again!" I laughed as I caught Pikachu again, both of us turning our smiles to one another before I placed him on my shoulder and paddled back to the beach where Ash ran into the surf to meet us.

"Pikachu! You're okay! Thanks Ruby, I owe you one."

"Sure you do." I said with a playful smirk as Pikachu leaped from my shoulder into Ash's arms. "I don't think we'll be seeing them for a while now." I stood up and carried my board to shore where the others all ran to us.

"Pikachu! Are you okay? Did those bad guys hurt you?" May fussed, reached out and rubbed Pikachu's cheek, making him squeal softly.

"Those guys just don't know when to quit do they?" Brock said, folding his arms to glare pointedly out over the ocean as Max turned to me.

"Are you okay Ruby?"

"Sure squirt, I'm fine." I said, ruffling his hair. "Don't you worry about a thing."

"That Pikachu of yours is amazing little dude." Brawley was saying to Ash so we all looked around. "Like, I've never seen a Thunderbolt with so much oomph!" He told Ash who gave a proud look to Pikachu.

"I guess Pikachu's my number one dude. So Brawley, will you please face me in a gym battle?" Ash pleaded again, making Brawley laugh before giving an impressed smirk at Ash.

"You know, I guess there were some things just meant to happen. You've got it! I accept your challenge my little man."

"That's awesome, thanks!" Ash said so I rolled my eyes.

"You just couldn't wait until tomorrow, could you genius?" I questioned and he gave a guilty laugh whilst rubbing the back of his head.

"Guess not."

"Well, whenever you dudes are ready, meet me at the gym. I'll be there waiting for you." Brawley said to us all with a wave as he picked up his board and began to walk away with Makuhita. "Later dudes!"

"Later!" Ash called back after him before turning to May and I. "Come on, get dressed! My next gym badge is just sitting there waiting for me." I arched an eyebrow slightly, hearing the confident tone in Ash's voice.

"Hold up there Ash, you haven't even fought Brawley yet. For all we know, you could lose." I told him reasonably but he wouldn't hear it.

"There's no way I can lose, not with Pikachu there to guarantee me a win. So come on already!" I let it drop but I noted to myself how much confidence Ash seemed to carry with him these days. In the way he walked and spoke, it was kind of beginning to grate on my nerves, considering it was bordering on the line of arrogance.

May and I got changed then walked back up to the gym where the boys had all gone on ahead, but Ash was warming up with some stretches, getting himself into the zone before his battle. "My second gym badge is coming right up." He said almost to himself as May and I joined the other two.

"Ash is super confident." May said with a little admiration in her tone. "I wonder what sort of strategy he'll use this time." She said to us all but Brock answered her blankly with his arms folded across his chest.

"My guess is, he doesn't have a strategy."

"I agree with Brock." Max said in a similar stance and I glanced between them gave a little chuckle to myself. "Remember! You can't let your guard down Ash. Brawley's Makuhita is one super powerful Pokémon!" Max tried to remind Ash but he didn't seem interested in the squirt's advice.

"Also fighting type trainers tend to rely almost completely on power and attack their opponents head on. Maybe you should gain an advantage against fighting Pokémon and use a flying type." Brock suggested to Ash who turned around.

"I'm already one step ahead of you. I'm just going to use Taillow's flying attacks, and I'll win my second badge easily." He said but I lifted a hand studiously.

"But you haven't really done much training with Taillow, and you only caught it recently. You may have the disadvantage with the lacking experience against Brawley's fighting type Pokémon." I tried to tell him but he just shrugged it off.

"I wouldn't count on it being easy." May said but Ash smirked.

"Come on May, how hard can it be to win against some carefree surfer dude?" I slapped a hand to my face. You know genius, he's the gym leader here for a _reason_. I sat down on the bench with Pikachu in my arms beside Brock to watch the battle as the referee called out the rules.

Ash sent out Taillow, but Brawley decided to face it with his Machop who May instantly looked up in her Pokédex for some information on the small fighting type Pokémon. It started off with a string of Wing Attacks which didn't seem to be doing any damage to Machop at all, the Pokémon simply stood there, took the attack then rolled back to its feet.

"What's going on? How come it just keeps on getting up?!" Ash demanded in confusion as Max stood up.

"Do you think Taillow's Wing attacks are missing it or something?" He asked in genuine confusion, unable to understand how an effective type move was doing next to no damage against a fighting type Pokémon.

"Not at all, they're hitting it alright." Brock assured us all as Pikachu's ears twitched.

"Then what is it Brock?" May asked so Brock explained to them.

"It's Machop's endurance. Machop keeps on absorbing the blows." Oh I get it now. Instead of taking the hits, Machop rolls to absorb the impact and minimise the damage so that it can keep on getting back up, still with strength and energy to keep on battling.

"So the attacks are worthless?" Max queried and I nodded my head.

"Seems so little squirt." I said to him as Pikachu sighed in my arms, so I gave him a little cuddle to comfort him a little.

"Alright then, we'll battle with speed instead! Taillow, use Quick Attack!"

"Alright Machop, use Cross Chop!" Machop ran forwards and crossed its arms in front, glowing to the elbow before striking against Taillow who took a direct hit then fell backwards, shaking slightly from the hit and struggled to try and get back up, but ultimately, Brawley's Machop was just too powerful an attacker and Taillow fainted from exhaustion.

"Taillow is unable to battle, Machop wins!" The ref called and Ash returned Taillow with a face of shock before shaking his head and getting himself back together.

"That's weird. I would have thought a flying type would have had a huge advantage over a fighting type, isn't that right Brock?" Max asked as Brock thought it over for a second, replaying everything that had just happened in his mind before it clicked.

"I know! Machop's skills at surfing must have something to do with absorbing attacks. The way Machop moves around on the battlefield is the same way it uses its legs for control whilst riding on a surfboard. Ash! Power attacks aren't going to work, you have to change your strategy!" Brock yelled over to him but Ash shook his head.

"If we keep up the power attacks then it's gotta wear down eventually. No, we're sticking with the attacks and meeting them head on! There's no way I'm going to change my strategy! Treecko! I choose you!" Ash called as I leaped to my feet.

"You don't even have a strategy, genius! You're just trying to out muscle someone who can't be out muscled! Think about your own strengths, _that's_ what's going to win you the battle." I watched the onslaught with gritted teeth as Ash went crazy with Pound, hitting at Machop with everything he had and wore Machop out. With a Quick Attack followed into Pound, Mahcop was out of the battle and I exhaled slightly, though I remained stiff and standing, glaring slightly at Ash. He's coming at this all wrong. He's got two super fast Pokémon and he didn't utilise either of their strengths. He's going to lose if he keeps this up.

"Makuhita, take on!" Brawley called and his Makuhita came onto the battlefield, stomping both feet to psych itself up before Ash struck first with Pound. Watching this made me feel sick to my stomach. Ash's arrogance made him blind as he made Treecko use Pound after Pound, wearing him down until it was slick with sweat with Makuhita rolling to absorb every attack with no effect whatsoever.

When Treecko stumbled on a Pound, Ash moved on to a Quick Attack which was blocked with Vital Throw, causing significant damage to Treecko who took the attack full on before taking several Arm Thrusts. "Ash! Do something!" I yelled at him in fear and anger for Treecko. How dare Ash act this way? This is not how you battle!

Treecko fell to the ground and didn't get up, but just before the ref could call Treecko out of the match, Treecko found some sort of strength and spirit deep within him, forcing him to stand and he stood up once more, shocking Brawley.

"What?!"

"Yeah! You've got more endurance than any other Pokémon I've ever met Treecko, now, Pound attack let's go!"

"Seismic Toss!" Tears filled my eyes as I felt my heart quicken, watching as Treecko took another powerful attack as Makuhita carried him high up into the air and spun over its head before plummeting back into the ground, flattening Treecko, but again Treecko just stood back up.

"Ash, you have to finish this now!" I told him.

"Don't worry, we will!" He answered back arrogantly but I shook my head.

"No, I mean _now_! You have to yield or Treecko is going to get seriously hurt!" Ash looked at me with a fire burning in his eyes, making me take a step back as I was frightened almost by its presence.

"We are not quitters like _you_ Ruby, now Treecko, use…what's happening?" Just then Makuhita began to glow, shining brightly all over its body before growing in shape, changing until finally a large bodied Pokémon I'd never seen before stood there with massive hands spread out in a battle stance.

"Hariyama…" It said slowly and in a deeper voice than before. This is bad. Not that Makuhita has evolved, it's going to be even more powerful than before and Treecko won't be able to get back up this time around. It seemed Brawley agreed with me.

"Treecko is in no condition to face my Hariyama dude. Your big wave has just passed you by."

"Come on Brawley, there's no way I'm giving up yet." Ash answered, earning a gasp from everyone behind me as both Brock and I yelled at him in anger.

"Ash! Don't be crazy!"

"Treecko, Pound!"

"Hariyama, Arm Thrust!" Treecko began to take hit after hit once more, making me suck in a deep gasp as my heart pounded almost in time with Hariyama's attacks until finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I turned and walked away from the battle, making Max stand up and call after me.

"Hey Ruby! Where're you going?! The battle isn't over yet!" But I'd seen enough of this sickening battle. If this is what Ash is becoming, then I want nothing to do with it. Before I left the room I put Pikachu down, rubbed his head one last time before walking away.

"Pika! Pikachu! Pika Pika Pi! PIKACHU!" He called after me, staying inside the gym but I didn't look back. How could Ash treat Treecko like that? Like he was nothing more than a machine. It was…unethical. I hate it. Urgh! He's such an idiot sometimes! Besides. I didn't need to stay to know that Ash had lost. I didn't want to watch it happen either. Poor Treecko.

Knowing exactly who I needed, I let Latias out of her Pokéball and instantly hugged her head to me. Breathing deeply as I struggled not to cry. "It was awful Latias, I've never seen Ash like that before. It was like he was a completely different person and all he cared about was winning."

"Lati? Latias La…" Latias cooed then pressed her head more firmly into my cheek, trying to comfort me so I sniffed then dried my eyes.

"Come on, let's go for a walk along the beach. You'd better hide though, just in case someone spots you." I told her so she licked my cheek where there was a tear still before disappearing, becoming invisible as she had recently discovered she could do.

We walked along the beach until I found a secluded spot with a couple of rocks, so I sat down to have a rest as I sensed Latias go out over the ocean water to play, splashing around a little to try and catch the sparkles on the water top, making my giggle and feel a little better.

"Hey there surfer dude, looks like you found my favourite spot too." I heard Brawley say and I looked around to see him and Hariyama walking towards us with their surfboards.

"Oh. Hi." I said, giving a little nod of my head to indicate respect. "I'll go if you want me to."

"Nah, stay a bit." Brawley invited, setting his surfboard down before sitting on the sand. "Sometimes I like to just sit back and watch the sun set, you know?"

"Yeah." I agreed, giving a sigh and tucked my knees tightly against my chest then rested my chin there.

"You still upset about the way the little dude battled today? You shouldn't sweat it, Ash knows what he did wasn't cool." Brawley tried to comfort me but I just continued to look out over the water. "You know, he seemed a little bummed out when you left. I can tell you mean a lot to him, and the others. Hope you're not planning on leaving them."

"It may have crossed my mind once or twice." I said with a little shrug. "The Ash you saw back there is not the same Ash I grew up with, or the Ash I've grown to know through travelling with him. It was scary, seeing him that way. He's always cared so much about Pokémon, but the way he treated Treecko made me just want to strangle him." Brawley laughed.

"Yeah, I get you bro. It's frustrating as a gym leader when I see all kinds of people coming in, ordering their Pokémon to do things they just can't do themselves. But you know what? At the end of the day, I always come to the beach and talk to my Pokémon. You should totally do the same." This time I gave him a smile.

"Thanks, but I already have. My Pokémon are great listeners." I said then felt Latias nudge at my back, making me shift slightly before she flew around then tugged on Brawley's hair.

"Huh? What was that?"

"Oh…nothing." I tried but he looked around him, trying to see but Latias was invisible, and therefore he couldn't see her so she took this opportunity to tug on his hair again. "What? This is totally weird, I could swear someone just pulled my hair. It wasn't you Hariyama, right?"

"Hariyama." His Pokémon shrugged so Brawley rubbed the back of his head.

"Maybe I swallowed some salt water by accident earlier today." He said to himself so I mentally scolded Latias to stay out of mischief, but she answered by knocked over both surfboards then nudged into Brawley from behind as he stood to pick them up, sending him flying forwards. "What?! What's going on?"

Latias finally appeared, laughing to herself in a silvery voice but when she turned to see my unimpressed and reproachful expression, she ducked her head and looked a little sorry for herself. "Whoa! Is that a Latias?" Brawley stared as I reached out and rubbed Latias's head.

"Yeah, sorry about that. She gets up to all kinds of trouble when she thinks I don't know it's her." I said pointedly and Latias gave a cheeky grin which instantly broke any subject of reprimand. "Latias return. It's time for your bedtime." She disappeared in a flash of red and I jumped off the rocks. "You know, I think Ash could have beaten you, if he'd just battled with a level head. He'll be back for a rematch, so I'd watch out if I were you." I warned him and Brawley winked, giving me a thumb's up.

"You got it. Later surfer dude!" He called before running into the waves with his Hariyama. I sighed then took the short way back to the Pokémon centre, leaving the beach then went up to our room to grab the rest of my stuff I'd left there. I knew what I needed to do, but it was going to be tough.

I baked some cookies and cupcakes, left them on the desk with a letter to everyone saying goodbye for the time being, that I was going to go for my next contest ribbon and do a little travelling on my own for a while to grow closer to my Pokémon. I also left another note to Ash, telling him that I wasn't angry or upset, but that I hoped he'd take training a little more seriously and that he needed to remember how much each of his Pokémon meant to him and not just Pikachu.

On my way back down I stopped to visit Taillow and Treecko, making sure they were okay before turning to go. "Am I right in assuming you're going to do some personal training?" Nurse Joy questioned and I nodded my head.

"That's right. I think I need to do a little bit of growing on my own, so I'm going to spend some time alone with my Pokémon." I explained to her and she smiled.

"In that case, I advise you visit Granite cave. There are some tough Pokémon there that you can train against, and you may even be able to find one to use in your next contest." She told me before pointing it out on my map after asking me to show it to her. "Just follow this road then it should be easy enough to find. Good luck."

"Thanks Nurse Joy. Take care of Taillow and Treecko, they're really great Pokémon." I said to her before leaving. Once I stepped outside a light breeze wrapped around me, making me instinctively inhale the salty air and I smiled gently, feeling the warm rays of sunshine on my face. Well, I guess it's off to Granite Cave I go. Let's see what Pokémon we can find there.


	20. Chapter 20

"Now Jigglypuff, use Double Slap!" I directed as we faced the Loudred. It had taken a couple of hits, but with a final Double Slap, Jigglypuff sent it racing away and it was another score to our victory board. "Alright! Way to go Jigglypuff, that's how you do it!" She turned and leaped up into the air with a smile.

"Jigglypuff!" We high fived one another before I returned her to her Pokéball.

"I think that's enough for today, you take a long rest." I said before turning and walking on. The cave was elaborate and had many levels but I kept myself from getting lost by placing markers around which always pointed in the direction I needed to go to get back to the entrance. Smart huh? I learned that one from Brock.

I'd just gotten to the top floor of the cave when I heard screaming and felt an overwhelming sense of fear pound in my chest as people's auras came into contact with mine and I whirled around, instantly recognising a few of them. "Ash? Max? Brock? May? Pikachu?" I questioned, hearing them cry out until all was silent, like the end of an echo in a deep chasm. "Hold on guys, I'm coming!" I suddenly yelled and raced forwards, breathing deeply as my eyes narrowed in concentration.

With a jump I slid down a shaft, tucking my arms across my chest to keep them safe before landing on the ground with a soft grunt, my feet finding grip before I was off running again. I heard more shouting and yelling echoing all around me as the Aron suddenly grew angry, their fury at being disturbed shaking my mind so I growled.

"Charizard, I choose you!" I called and sent out his Pokéball and he appeared with a roar, instantly letting me jump onto his back as we flew. "Take a left Charizard, we'll meet them all at the waterfall, that's where the Aron will heard everyone in so that they can't escape." I said and Charizard nodded his head, banking left then flapped his wings to gain some speed.

I heard the deep barks of the Aron as they all chased after the panicked people who were my friends and…I think they were Team Rocket as well. I should have guessed they would have had something to do with this, they're always getting us all into trouble.

Charizard followed the sloping path of the descending hill before shooting out over the waterfall where I noticed Max, Pikachu and Meowth standing with a guy with light blue hair, making me blink in surprise as Max turned and yelled. "It's Charizard! And Ruby! It's Ruby!"

Charizard banked and dipped one wing, letting me leap down as the Aron thundered towards Ash, Brock, May, Jessie and James, planning to barrel them over and I heard them all screaming which awoke something within me that I hadn't be able to reach in a long time.

Landing on the ground I flung out my hands and a burst of aura flew out from within me, forming a large pulse which passed through all of the Aron and I connected with each of them, feeling their intense hostility but with a gentle hush, they were settled like tender children being put to bed.

With a deep inhale I slowly spread my hands out to the side, signalling that they should all go back to where they were resting, that they were not in any danger by those present in these caves so they turned around and walked away, either burrowing into the rocks to find a nest or disappearing into the darkness until every last one of them were gone.

"I don't believe it, it's Ruby!" May gasped before laughing. "I'm so happy to see you!" I turned around slightly and shot them all a smirk.

"Well, it seems you four just can't manage without me. I'm guessing _you_ had something to do with this mess, Team Rocket." I arched an eyebrow and placed one hand on my hip as Jessie and James gulped then clung to one another, waving a hand dismissively at me.

"Of course not! Why would you think such a thing?" Jessie said as James laughed.

"We wouldn't dream of causing trouble, who do you think we are?" In answer I just rolled my eyes then looked to Charizard as he landed beside me.

"Charizard return, thanks for getting me here so fast buddy." I told him and he nodded his head with a soft growl before he went back into his Pokéball for some rest.

"May!" Max called out as he, Meowth and their companion made their way down. Team Rocket instantly reunited with tears, declaring how glad the other was alright and despite the over the top display, I could feel it to be genuine and it made me smile.

The siblings ran to one another and hugged tightly, May smiling as she was glad to see that her little brother was okay. However when they broke apart, Max looked at me with the most heartbroken face I'd ever seen, tugging at my heartstrings. "Why'd you go Ruby? Don't you like us anymore?"

"Oh Max, it's not that at all." I said, kneeling down before him. "I just felt like I needed some time alone with my Pokémon. It's important for every trainer to always listen to what they're heart is telling them, so when mine told me that I need to take a step back and think about things, I knew that I had to do what it said." But Max was still teary eyed and although he wiped them to try keep then dry, he sniffed.

"But you said you were going to be gone for a long time!" I laughed and ruffled his hair.

"No I didn't squirt, I'd said that I would be gone for a while, but then I'd be back again before you knew it. I'm not going away forever, just for a little while."

"That's right Max. When trainers need to spend quality time with their Pokémon, it's always important that they do it in a way they feel its best, and Ruby knows she can grow closer to her Pokémon when they're alone together." Brock said to him. "Besides, with Ruby not around for the moment, it's given Ash the little kick he needed to get himself back into the zone of battling and training, right Ash?" Ash hung his head.

"Yeah. Listen Ruby, I want you to know that I'm sorry for…"

"Ash, just don't." I said to him with a smile, waving a hand. "I don't want to hear an apology, because it's not necessary." I told him as I reached out and gently punched his shoulder. "You made a dumb mistake, that's all, and everyone does that every once in a while. If you promise me that you'll train hard, then I'll do the same. Okay?" Ash lifted his head back up, nodding assuredly as he smiled.

"Right!" We clasped one another's hands, locking fists as we looked at one another with competitive smirks. "And when you get back, we're going to show Hoenn what we can do."

"Sorry to break up your happy little twerp reunion, but this isn't over yet." Jessie said and instantly we turned to glare at them. "So prepare for trouble when you're lost in a cave."

"Make it double if it's us you save." James answered as they stood back to back, arms folded together with smirks on their faces as Meowth gave us all an intimidating look which only made me arch an eyebrow.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all people within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight." James finished as Meowth jumped up and stood on their shoulders, lifting his little paws up high.

"That's right!"

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet called as he left Jessie's Pokéball, letting himself out of his own accord as the silvery blue haired man with us blinked in utter bewilderment, staring at Team Rocket who continued to smirk evilly at us all.

"Who are these people?" He asked us.

"They're Team Rocket, Steven, they're crooks who try to steal Pokémon!" Max told him as he looked up at the tall guy, who I now assumed must be Steven Stone, the son of the director of Devan Corp that the guys had told me he had mentioned before.

"They're the ones to blame for all the holes." Brock explained and Steven looked back at them as Jessie brought out her choice of Pokémon.

"Go! Seviper!" Seviper?! When did she get _that_ Pokémon? It was a long snake like Pokémon of black with red, purple and yellow markings and a blade like tail and had long fangs at its mouth. Scary.

"You too Cacnea!" James echoed and I blinked. Of course, after releasing Arbok and Weezing, they would have needed to get new Pokémon so that they could continue to battle us. A round, spiked and green Pokémon appeared with club like arms, which instantly attached itself to James though its prickly grip made him yelp in pain. That's…odd. It seems grass type Pokémon seem to really like James. Maybe I'll have to research that one day.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Ash called and Pikachu instantly began to zig zag his way forwards, aiming for Team Rocket.

"Let's go!" Brock, May and I all chorused as we picked out our Pokéballs but then Steven yelled out over everyone, making us all freeze in place and look at him in confusion. "Huh?" He walked towards Team Rocket then stopped about halfway, still glaring at them.

"The Pokémon in this cave have all lived here peacefully for generations." He called out to us all and Ash stood up a little straighter.

"We didn't think…" I saw Jessie whisper something to James but couldn't hear what she was saying. Regardless, Steven continued to speak.

"Then you come in creating problems and stir them all up! It's just wrong. _I'll_ face you." He declared and all our eyes went wide. Was this guy serious? Despite their goofy looks, Team Rocket were still dangerous. You didn't know how many tricks they had up their sleeves. "I choose you Aggron!" Okay he should be fine.

Aggron appeared and I was immediately impressed with its sheer size and armour. I'd heard some mountain climbers talking about them on my way up here, but I didn't think I'd actually get to see one this soon. It was pretty impressive. "Hyper Beam!" Steven called and instantly Aggron powered up an attack which blasted them out through the roof, allowing a whole new flood of light to spill inside the cave and fresh air wafted down, making me smile as I walked into it, passing the Aggron as it was returned.

Steven ran over to his Aron which had begun digging in the pile of rock that had tumbled from the gap made in the ceiling and called out to him. "What is it Aron? Oh! Well done my friend." He smiled before pulling out a Fire Stone as the others all ran over.

"Steven! What is that?" Ash asked, unable to see what he was holding.

"A Fire Stone, what I've been searching for, for so long." He told us all, holding it up to the light so that it gleamed.

"A Fire Stone?" May questioned, tilting her head to the side as Steven nodded his head.

"Yes. It's one of several stones that help Pokémon when it's time to evolve. It can be used to help a Growlithe evolve into an Arcanine…"

"Or help Vulpix evolve into Ninetales." Brock contributed, making May smile.

"That's right, and also evolve Eevee into Flareon when using a Fire Stone." I turned to Steven with a smile.

"If it's a Fire Stone you wanted, I could have given you one. I've been finding all kinds of stones all over the place on the fourth level, I practically trip over them." I said, taking off my backpack then opened it to show them the stones I had collected. Some of them were simple round ones, almost like pearls but they had distinct colouring to them, making them pretty so I had chosen to collect them simply because of that. I planned to send them home when I got to a Pokémon centre.

"Wow, you've got Thunder Stones and Water Stones too! And what's that? Is that a Dawn Stone?" Max gasped, rooting through my bag at his own leisure, making me chuckle.

"I was planning on bringing some of them back to you as presents, but it looks like you guys caught up with me a little earlier than I'd anticipated." I reached in then pulled out one of the stones, a Water Stone, then handed it to Steven. "Here, would you like it?" He took with a gracious smile and nod of his head.

"Thank you, that's very kind. Perhaps I should do more of my own searching in these caves. There is more yet to be discovered." He said as I walked back over to the beam of light, shouldering my pack then let Charizard out, ready to fly.

"Ruby! You're leaving again?" Max asked as I turned to face him.

"Yeah, I'm going to see if there are any contests I can enter, or even try and find myself some more Pokémon to capture." I told him. "You be good now, okay squirt? Try not to argue too much with your sister." I said as I walked over and ruffled his hair. "I'll miss you." Before I could turn to go, Max had anchored his arms around me.

"Don't go! I don't like saying goodbye! You left last time without even telling us face to face, and although the cookies were really good, we all missed you!" I gave a little hum of laughter before kneeling down to face Max, who had tears in his eyes.

"I always find goodbyes the hard part, so I don't tend to stick around for them." I told him simply before taking off my special bracelet, with all my charms and the amberite. "Here, I want you to take extra good care of that." Placing it in his hands I curled his fingers over it gently. "I promise that I'll come back for that, so you can be sure that you'll be seeing me again. Okay squirt?" Max sucked in a deep breath then nodded.

"Okay. See you later Ruby." I smirked, gave him a wink then jumped onto Charizard's shoulders, settling there before waving to everyone.

"See you soon! I'll miss you!" I cheered before Charizard flapped his wings and we lifted up into the sky and out into broad daylight, where Charizard roared proudly, shaking the trees before gaining speed as he flew out over the ocean.


	21. Chapter 21

"There, you'll be better in no time." I said with a smile to the little Poochyena as I bandaged its paw for the young trainer. "You rest it for a few days and you'll be good as new, I promise. And as a reward for being so good, I've got something just for you." I told it then offered some special Pokémon food I had mixed specially for dark type Pokémon, making Poochyena bark happily for munching it all up.

"Thank you so much, I didn't know what to do with the Pokémon centre being so far away." The little girl said to me with a laugh as she flung her arms around Poochyena and hugged it tightly. "We're so lucky you came along when you did!"

"It was nothing, just make sure you carry Poochyena or keep it in its Pokéball until you get it to Nurse Joy, okay? Then she can have a proper look at that sprain." I said, ruffling her hair gently as I stood up. "You take care now and remember, always be mindful of your surroundings. With all these loose stones and tree roots sticking up from the ground, an accident was just waiting to happen." I explained and she nodded her head as she stood up.

"I promise I'll be more careful. Goodbye now!" She called before dashing away, carrying her little Poochyena in her arms as I chuckled and watched her go. I was about to move on when I heard a voice calling out to me.

"Excuse me! Hey! Excuse me!" I turned to see a boy running at me, a plaster on his forehead but he carried a sick looking Wingull in his arms. "Please, you took care of that Poochyena right? Well my Wingull doesn't look too good, is there something you can do to help?" Instantly I was holding it in my arms, checking its temperature.

"It's a little hot, and its wing doesn't look too good. Can you tell me what happened and when this all started?" I asked as I put Wingull down on a blanket then got my supplies back out again.

"Well, we were just doing some training and I asked Wingull to use Wing Attack, but at the last minute its wings stopped glowing and my poor Wingull hit the tree with its wing. Is it broken?" I gently felt the wing, making Wingull cry out in pain but I couldn't find any breakage.

"No, it's not broken but I think there may be some cracks in the bone. I'm going to strap it up and support it for now, give Wingull something for the fever that's starting then I'll fly you both to a Pokémon Centre, okay?" I told him. "I'm Ruby."

"I'm Alex, are you sure my Wingull is going to be okay?" He asked with worry, sniffing slightly as tears rose to his eyes so I gave him a calm and confident smile.

"Of course! Things like this happen all the time, what went wrong is that your Wingull's wings aren't yet fully developed or strong enough to handle wing attack. What you need to do is build up its strength. A trick I've learned is to take your bird swimming and tell it to flap its wings in the water, it really helps build up strength and when practicing Wing Attack, use a softer target like a doll or something like that, then build it up from there." I told Alex as I bandaged up the wing with a stick to keep it from being moved or disturbed.

"Thanks Ruby, you must be a rally great trainer if you know all this stuff." I gave a smile.

"Well actually, I was taught by one of my best friends and I also go travelling to places around different regions to learn more about Pokémon. Anyway, we'd better get Wingull to Nurse Joy right away. Hop aboard." I said then stood up. "Charizard, I choose you!"

"Whoa! You have a Charizard?" Alex awed as Charizard appeared, standing tall and proud but the moment he saw me he ducked down his head and affectionately nuzzled his snout into me, making me giggle as Alex picked up his Wingull who was whimpering slightly.

"Yup. Charizard was my first Pokémon." I said as I climbed up but then Charizard got down to the ground, helping with his arm to give Alex a boost before I settled him in front of me. "Alright Charizard, Slateport City Pokémon Centre, let's go!" Charizard roared with a nod of his head before leaping up into the sky, ascending easily as Alex laugh and held on, making me smile as Wingull perked up a bit, glad to be back in the air.

With Charizard flying, it only took twenty minutes to fly straight to the Pokémon Centre where I returned Charizard then rushed inside with Alex, calling for Nurse Joy. "Nurse Joy! This Wingull needs your help, it has a fever and think may have cracked the bone on its left wing." I told her and instantly she nodded her head.

"We'll take at your Wingull right away. Chansey!" Chansey came forwards immediately with a stretcher and Wingull was whisked away to the emergency room for some scans. Alex sniffed, tearing up as he watched Nurse Joy take his Wingull away so I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Alex, your Wingull will be fine now. It's nothing Nurse Joy can't handle and because you responded so quickly to it being hurt, there won't be any issues with healing it."

"You think so?" He asked me, turning a teary eyed face up at me so I nodded my head.

"I know so. Believe me, I've seen much worse happen to a Pokémon and they've always come out stronger and fitter than before. Tell you what, it's nearly lunchtime so why don't you go on down to the cafeteria and get yourself something to eat? It'll be a while until Nurse Joy comes back to tell you Wingull will be alright." I suggested and Alex nodded his head.

"Okay. Thanks Ruby, you're one of the greatest trainers I've met so far." He told me and I blushed modestly at his compliment before turning around. Just then I heard a voice.

"Everyone's so psyched!"

"Pika Pika!"

"Including me, remember there are just two weeks until the Pokémon contest opens." That was May, Ash and Pikachu! Where are they? There are so many trainers in here it's kind of hard to see, and my height doesn't make things easier. I craned my neck to try and see and followed the sound of their voices to lead the way.

"Right, so it makes sense that everybody came early to get in some practice." That was Brock, I think I can see the back of his head! Oh no wait, that's just a Zigzagoon sitting on someone else's head.

"They all look really good. Are you sure you're ready for this May?" Found them!

"What are you talking about squirt?" I asked them casually and they all span around to see me standing there, leaning into my hip with my arms folded across my chest. "Of course May's going to be fine. After all, two weeks is plenty of time to practice."

"It's Ruby! You're back!" Max cried out with laughter before flinging himself at me. "It's so good to see you again! Are you staying with us this time? You're not going to leave again?"

"Pika Pikachu!" I laughed over at Pikachu as he leaped onto my shoulder and rubbed his head against me in greeting, making me smile further if it were possible.

"Of course not squirt, I thought if I stuck around here for the contest you'd all show up eventually." I said with a beam as May also flung her arms around me.

"You came at the most perfect moment! Now you can help me get ready for the contest! It's so exciting, isn't it? Did you enter in any other contests? How did you do? What happened?" She asked me so I chuckled as they stepped back.

"Slow down! Let me catch my breath." I told them before grinning. "I've entered three contests since last we all were together. The first two went pretty badly, one I didn't make it past the appeals round and the other I got knocked out in the second, so I knuckled down and did some really intense training with Jigglypuff, so the last contest we were in, we came first place! And look! I got my second ribbon!" I pulled out my ribbon case and showed it to May, its dark green colour shining brightly as her eyes sparkled.

"It's beautiful!"

"Congratulations, that's a great achievement." Brock said to me as he came forwards and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I've heard from other coordinators that getting your second ribbon is almost harder than getting your first, so you shouldn't have too many problems from now on. And whilst you were away, I caught a Mudkip."

"Really? A Mudkip? How awesomely cute!" I said but then Ash leaped forwards and thrust out his gym badge case, revealing there were now two badges sitting there, the second looking like a blue boxing glove.

"And whilst you were out getting your second ribbon, I went and got my second badge! I had a rematch with Brawley and thanks to my new friend Corphish!" He declared and I smiled at him.

"That's great genius, I knew you could do it." I told him with a playful punch to his shoulder. "Can I meet Corphish and Mudkip?"

"Sure! Corphish, come on out and meet a great friend of ours!" Ash called and his water Pokémon appeared, slightly similar to a Krabby though more bulky.

"You too Mudkip!" The cute little blue Pokémon appeared beside Corphish and instantly I awed at them both. They were cute and tough looking at the same time, I love 'em!

"Corphish Phish!" Corphish called, snapping his pincers menacingly with narrowed eyes but when I knelt down and gave it a soft and warm smile, Corphish almost dropped to the floor in shock, staring at me as I giggled though Mudkip merely beamed back and bounded forwards into my lap with a leap, happily standing up to greet me face to face.

"Mudkip Kip!"

"Hey there Corphish, Mudkip, I'm Ruby. It's great to meet you." I introduced myself as Corphish blinked.

"Cor..." It blinked again before scuttling to hide behind Ash's legs, peeping out at me before hiding again. I chuckled softly as I rubbed Mudkip's back gently, trying to peek around to see Corphish.

"Huh? You're not scared are you Corphish?" Ash questioned which instantly bugged Corphish, so he stormed back out with a snap of his pincers and glared up at Ash before facing me with a determined expression.

"Corphish Phish Phish!" He chanted so I giggled again, making him blush and look down.

"Nice to meet you too." I said before Ash and Brock returned their Pokémon to their Pokéball.

"That was weird, wonder what's gotten into Corphish?" Ash questioned to himself as I lifted Pikachu off my shoulder and hugged him to me, burying my face into his soft fur as he squealed softly into my hair, making my hang on a little tighter.

"Aw Pikachu, I'd almost forgotten how cute you are!" I chuckled before pulling back. "Have you been keeping everyone out of trouble?"

"Pika Pi! Pikachu!" He proclaimed proudly so I took it as a yes.

"Hey Ruby, you'll never guess what. My Wurmple evolved!" She told me and my eyes widened with my smile. "It evolved into a Silcoon and then into a Beautifly! Isn't that great? I can't wait to enter the contest with it."

"That's amazing May, congratulations." I said with a wink as Max folded his arms a little grumpily.

"And I _still_ don't get to catch a single Pokémon of my own." He mumbled under his breath but I already had a remedy for that.

"Don't be so down squirt, look what I got you." I said then pulled out something from my pocket and handed it to him. Instantly his eyes widened as he stared at the deck of cards, each with a picture of a Hoenn region Pokémon and some information on it about them and some of their attacks. Kind of like a paperback Pokédex.

"Wow! This is so cool! Thanks Ruby, you're the best as usual!" He cheered before blinking. "Oh! I almost forgot!" He took off his backpack, opened the front zip then pulled out my charm bracelet, holding it up to me. "I took good care of it. My sister tried to wear it but I told her it wasn't hers to wear."

"Hey! I only wanted to try it on." May argued at her brother, placing her hands on her hips. "I knew Ruby wouldn't have minded as long as I was careful."

"It's okay guys, no need to fight." I said to them both as Brock secured my bracelet back around my wrist. It had felt strange not wearing it, but I was glad to have it back, sitting snugly on my wrist. "Thanks for taking such good care of it squirt, did you polish it for me?" He nodded his head proudly.

"Just a little." I ruffled his hair and gave him a wink, making him beam and laugh quietly at me just as Alex came running back over.

"Hey Ruby! Nurse Joy says Wingull is fine and will make a full recovery, just like you said!" He told me excitably, no longer worried for his Pokémon. "I owe it all to you for taking care of my Wingull and getting us both here so fast, so thanks so much!"

"No problem Alex, just remember to take care in future." I told him caringly. "Your Pokémon rely on you to make sure they're always in top condition. Okay?"

"Okay! I'm going to learn all I can about Pokémon first aid, that way if something like this happens again, I'll know what to do! Thanks again Ruby, good luck with your Pokémon!" He called before running to be with his Wingull.

"Looks like you've been busy." Brock said to me and I nodded my head.

"Yeah, I've met loads of new people whilst out travelling, and some of them had Pokémon who needed help so I patched them up before directing them to Pokémon Centres. It's been fun meeting different kinds of trainers and having different battles." I told them as May angled herself towards the door.

"Come on! Let's go to the beach for some training!" She called and I was instantly following.

"Right behind you May!" We made our way down to the picturesque beach, with white sand and a perfect blue sea and loads of tourists having fun either building sandcastles or splashing around in the waves.

"Slateport City's got beautiful beaches! Not to mention all the beautiful girls!" Brock proclaimed as he went bright red and woozy at the sight of so many pretty women in their bathing suits.

"Yeah who cares? Let's swim!" Max called but May turned around with a studious and proud expression.

"First things first, I think I'll do a little bit of practicing." She told us and we all nodded our heads.

"Good idea May." Ash agreed as she lifted up a finger with a wink.

"And first up, my stunning preliminary performance! Watch and learn." She told us as she ran forwards, kicked up a leg then began to pirouette as she enlarged her Pokéball. "Beautifly! The spotlight is on you!"

Her Beautifly appeared and I could instantly tell how well it had been raised, as its vibrant colours sparkled in the sunlight as Beautifly rose up into the air then used Sleep Powder, producing a clear, sparkling sheen and dust which showed off perfectly Beautifly's beauty as we all gasped in awe.

"Wow! That's pretty good!" Ash complimented as he and Max leaned forwards with intrigue.

"A nice opening."

"Great job May!" Max called out to his sister but I noticed how May wasn't continuing with her performance, her arms still spread out as she teetered slightly from side to side.

"Check it out, she's really planted her pose!" Ash said but then May turned shakily around, blinking furiously as she tried to stay upright.

"I…might have…spent too much time on my spin." Everyone groaned when they saw how May wasn't just posing, but was just too dizzy to move so I chuckled and shook her slightly, waking her up.

"Great entrance May, just remember contests are about your Pokémon, not their trainer so you don't have to go overboard with your spin." I reminded her as she shook out her head then beamed.

"Right, got it! Now moving on, here we go!" She called then threw three pink Frisbees towards Beautifly who watched them approach patiently. "Beautifly use Gust!" Suddenly Beautifly began to power her wings for a Gust that sent a wave of sand rolling up from the ground and swallowed us all, making everyone cry out in alarm as we also covered a couple of tourists under our sand tomb as well. Oops.

"Uh! Guess this isn't the right place for that." Max said as he resurfaced and May popped up next.

"You're probably right." I chuckled as I walked forwards and helped them both out, grasping their arms and pulled them free with a simple tug.

"Let's go over there, it looks a little quieter and secluded." I suggested as Brock and Ash found their way out as well. We went closer to the cliff face where there were no tourists but plenty of room for May to practice for her preliminary performance.

"This is much better." Brock announced as we all stood facing May's back as she gazed up at her Beautifly.

"So what's up next May?" Ash asked and she gave a secretive smile before turning and lifting a studious finger to point upwards.

"Only the very best of the best." She told us before turning to her Beautifly. "Okay Beautifly, the pressure's on now." I noted how Beautifly seemed to lose a bit of its confidence at that, looking worried as May suddenly flung out her hand. "Beautifly, Silver Wind now!"

Beautifly rose up and began to flutter her wings, creating streams of silvery wind but after a bare few moments, it teetered out and Beautifly looked crushed at her failure as May mirrored her expression, dropping to the ground. "No not again…we keep messing that one up."

"You might not want to use that move in the contest yet May." Max advised but his sister turned around to face him.

"But if we _could_ use Silver Wind in the contest it would just blow everyone away, I know it!" She said so I stepped forwards and lifted up my hand, letting Beautifly land there and I smiled as I lowered her down to eye level before turning to May.

"You almost have it May, you're very close. It's all about how you encourage Beautifly from this point onwards. You see, a Pokémon who struggles with a particular move is usually because they lack confidence in themselves." I told her as I reached out and helped her to stand up. "Which is why it's vital that their trainer makes them feel as relaxed as possible and encourages them to do their best."

"Really? I didn't know that." May said, touching a finger to her lips. "I thought Pokémon just knew how to do moves on their own."

"No May, it's important that Pokémon and trainer work together. Remember how Ash trained right alongside Pikachu when they were learning the Iron Tail attack?" I said as I tickled Beautifly's chin. "How about later I teach you all of Beautifly's massage points, it'll help to relax and may even strengthen her confidence a little."

"That would be great! Thanks so much Ruby." She said to me with sparkling eyes so I smiled then let Beautifly fly up. "Okay Beautifly, let's try our first trick again, only this time I know you'll get it!" May said, immediately taking my advice on board. "I have complete faith in you, so let's go! Beautifly, use Gust again!"

Beautifly rose up into the air and as May threw her three Frisbees, Beautifly created a curving wind which carried them all high up into the air then back down towards May who caught them without even look, gracefully jumping up to receive the first two.

"Yeah! That's cool!" Max praised as May opened her eyes but as she spoke, missed the third.

"I know!" With a gasp everyone turned around to see it fly towards a boy with green hair and a purple over shirt, though he wasn't even looking and couldn't see the Frisbee aiming right for his head. "Look out!" May tried to warn him but in answer he lifted a hand and caught the Frisbee without even trying, making us all stare wide eyed. "I'm sorry!" May called up to him as she ran over.

The boy began to spin the play toy on his finger, smirking slightly as he didn't even look at May. "Please don't tell me you're planning on entering the Pokémon contest with a cheesy act like that?!" He scorned and instantly I narrowed my eyes. Who did that little punk think he is? I'll show him a thing or two, his face will be _made_ of cheese after I'm done with him!

The punk flung May's Frisbee back at her, landing it directly in front of her feet and she blinked before glaring up at him as I marched over at the same time the stuck up dweeb did as well. "You've got no finesse, no moves." He told May but then held out a hand to stop her from moving closer as she glared angrily.

"Hey! Who are you to tell _me_ that?!" She demanded to know as he smirked.

"If you must know I'm Drew. Pokémon Coordinator." He informed as I finally reached them.

"If you're not careful punk, I'll coordinate my foot up your sorry little…!" Brock clamped a hand down on my mouth and restrained me as I struggled to go for the little brat. How dare he tell May she had no finesse? Her moves were beautiful, sure they were untidy and needed work, but that will come with practice!

"Really? That's just like you May." Ash said simply so I whacked him on the back of my head, managing to tear my mouth free of Brock's grip.

"We do not make friends with punks like that, genius!" I told him firmly. "Let me at him, let me at him!" But Brock continued to hold me back.

"I think you need a time out." He told me so I grumbled but went still, folding my arms with a pout as Brock let go but kept his hand firmly resting on my shoulder.

"Please, no comparison." Drew said proudly as he stuck his hands in his pockets then turned to face May. "You see, you and your Pokémon here, you've got no style." That really ticked May off, let alone me. No one says that to my friends and gets away with it! I'll shove his head into the sand, then we won't have to listen to this trash talk.

"Hey! You can make fun of me all you want, but don't you DARE make fun of my Pokémon!" May yelled at Drew in rage but he merely shoved a hand in her face again, cutting her off.

"Wow, just calm down little girl." He said then easily held her back as she struggled to try and pound him as well.

"May, don't listen to what _he_ says." Max told her and Ash piped up to help.

"Yeah, why don't you show us all _your_ great Pokémon." Ash challenged but Drew merely flicked a hand across his fringe, moving it out of his eyes.

"Why? What good would that do? I think you _children_ just ought to be on your way." He said so I stepped forwards, one hand on my hip as the other pointed menacingly at him.

"Look buster, I don't know about you but I think you need your eyes tested. Three of us are _obviously_ older than you, and for the record, I think you feel threatened by May, which is why you're trying to trash talk her out of competing." I announced and he balked in shock.

"What?! No way! Haven't you been listening to a word I've been saying?"

"Sure I have, and it's obvious. You can see that May has a natural talent for bringing out the beauty of Beautifly, and you don't want any competition in this contest. I've seen it all before and have had it done to me, though you don't hold a candle to how dirty my rival was. In fact, you're pretty pathetic." I told him, turning to the side and folded my arms with a bored look. "Not even worth our time really, you should feel honoured that we've even bothered to listen to you." Drew shot me a look before returning to his previously proud look.

"Whatever. I meant what I said, you should be on your way. This beach is private for people like me staying at the resort." Drew informed us, jabbing a thumb behind him to a posh looking hotel just up on the cliff. May glared at Drew, unsure of what to say.

"Come on, let's just get out of here." Ash said then turned to walk away.

"Yeah." Max agreed so I took a deep breath then gently placed my hand in May's to lead her away.

"Come on May, I'll buy everyone ice cream then I'll help you on your routine." I told her and she started to walk with me but then she turned back and faced Drew.

"I guess you're entering the contest too?" He laughed sadistically.

"Brilliant guess genius." He said which instantly sparked me off again. Hey! No one can call May _genius_ , that's a nickname reserved for Ash only! That punk, he's going to regret making May feel bad someday, I promise that!

"Let's go." May said, turning and tugged on my hand so together we walked away. After we were a safe distance away from Drew we let go of one another's hands but I put my arm around May's shoulder to comfort her.

"You'll do great May, it's not his opinion that matters, it's the judges and I know they'll be stunned with how well you've raised Beautifly, just look at her gorgeous eyes and perfect colours on her wings. You've definitely been working hard." This perked May up a little, making her turn her head towards me.

"Really? You think so?" I nodded my head.

"Uh huh, I bet Janet would be proud if she could see you. Why don't you relax for a moment and I'll go get everyone some ice cream. We could do with a little cooling off." I said as we all walked off the beach to find a space in a field near the Pokémon centre.

"Okay, I'll have a chocolate chip please!" May called out as I began to walk back to where I had seen the ice cream van.

"Chocolate for me Ruby!" Max added as Brock and Ash both yelled with their preferences as well, so I waved to ensure they all knew I'd heard them. I walked back towards the beach, glancing around before bringing out Jigglypuff.

"Jigglypuff!" She cheered then instantly bounced towards me, blinking her beautiful blue orbs up at me before rubbing her head against my leg.

"Hey there beautiful, how are you?" I asked as I lifted her up onto my shoulder. "I'm about to get ice cream for everyone, would you like strawberry?" I asked and she nodded her head eagerly.

"Jigglypuff Puff." I smiled at her before continuing to walk.

"Listen Jigglypuff, I know I said that we'd enter this contest, but I think maybe it would be better to give it a miss this time around." Jigglypuff stared at me as if I were crazy.

"Puff?"

"It's just that, we've been working really hard lately and I think you could do with a break, but also, this is May's first competition, and I want to be there to support her, not challenge her." I explained to Jigglypuff as I queued up to get the ice cream. "It'll be tough enough without us competing as well, and I want May to have every chance of winning that ribbon." I said to Jigglypuff who sighed, thinking it over then nodded her head.

"Jigglypuff." She decided finally and I smiled, lifting her off my shoulder to give her a hug, making her smile too as she hung onto me.

"Thanks Jigglypuff, you're the greatest!" I said before putting her back on my shoulder. I ordered all the ice cream we needed for us and some of the Pokémon who liked ice cream, though for Beautifly I wasn't sure which she'd prefer so I ordered honeycomb as a wild guess. As the man was whipping up the order, a group of kids came running over to me with laughter.

"Hey! You're the one who won the Rustboro contest right? And that last contest back on the resort island near Lilycove!" One of the girls said to me and I nodded my head.

"That's right."

"And that's your Jigglypuff! It's even cuter in person than on TV! Are you going to compete in this contest too?" A little boy asked, clenching his fists in excitement but this time I shook my head.

"No, we're taking a little break for the moment because we've been working so hard lately. I'm sorry." I told them as they all sighed in disappointment.

"In that case, show us some of your moves!" Another kid requested and instantly the whole hoard were chanting, cheering for Jigglypuff who tapped my shoulder then nodded. I glanced to her then to the ice cream man who smiled.

"Go on, let's see what you can do. I'll hold your ice cream for you." He said so I turned to the children.

"Alright then, everyone step back!" They all backed up as I stepped out of line, letting Jigglypuff jump to the ground as heads began to turn, noticing something was going on. "Okay, everybody! Welcome to the Jigglypuff performance special! Say hello to your friend Jigglypuff!"

"Jigglypuff!" She greeted, blowing a kiss to the kids who all laughed, cheered and giggled before she tossed me her microphone to hold for her and I caught it easily. "Jigglypuff Puff!"

"Okay Jigglypuff, jump and use Ice Beam." I called with a clap of my hands and Jigglypuff instantly leaped up into the air, inflated her body then used Ice Beam, forming a large ball which she held in her arms easily despite its large size. "Pound!" Jigglypuff landed on the ground, tossed up the ice ball then jumped after it, breaking it into tiny pieces with several uses of Pound as the children all awed, staring in wonder as each crystal like shard began to glitter. "And now use Flash!" I thought to the HM I'd been given a couple of years ago back in Kanto for agreeing to take the Old Amber to Cinnabar Island.

I'd used it on Jigglypuff at her agreement for a new move that needed to really dazzle all of the audience, and we'd put together several routines using it, this being only one of them. Jigglypuff glowed brightly before the light intensified, making her seem angelic as she struck a pose among all the ice and the light was caught in their depths before shooting out in beams of rainbows, dancing beautifully and the audience all gasped before cheering, admiring Jigglypuff's beauty as she landed then used Double Slap without me even needing to tell her, shattering the ice as it fell to the ground until they were no more than tiny sparkles that shimmered around her.

"Wow! That was amazing!" The kids all cheered as Jigglypuff took a curtsey in unison, spreading our arms out wide as we bowed our heads graciously. "Do it again! Do it again!" I laughed and held out my hands.

"Sorry guys but I've got to go. Make sure you all take care now, okay? Don't go too far out to sea and don't run off without telling your parents!" I chuckled, giving them a wink as they all giggled and I collected the ice creams and paid for them with Jigglypuff once more on my shoulder.

"That was marvellous, that's a talented Jigglypuff you've got yourself there." The ice cream man said to me and I smiled at Jigglypuff.

"I know, Jigglypuff is the greatest. Thanks for the ice cream!" I called before carrying the several trays back to the gang, smiling as I watched May's battle upon approach. She really knew how to make every move look beautiful, all she needed now was confidence.


	22. Chapter 22

When the battle between May and Ash was over, someone who had been watching walked forwards with a compliment. "Wow, excellent work. A most impressive attack." A guy walked forwards whilst clapping his hands, smiling warmly as May rubbed the back of her head bashfully.

"Oh, I don't know about _that_." However when she looked up it wasn't her he was facing, but rather Ash.

"You are entering the Pokémon contest correct?" He asked but Ash just blinked before giving a slightly guilty look.

"No sir, I'm not the one entering."

"Right! I am! And this will be my first Pokémon contest ever." She told him and he looked at her in surprise.

"Say, is that right?" He chuckled. "I can still remember how completely nervous I was for my first Pokémon contest." This surprised May slightly. I guess she wasn't expecting him to be a coordinator, and to be honest I wasn't either.

"Wow, you were?"

"Oh yes, I couldn't _begin_ to count the many contests I've participated in as a coordinator." May instantly whooped, clasping her hands together as she wriggled excitedly on the spot.

"Awesome! You're a real pioneer!" She cheered and he chuckled down at her.

"The name's Mr Big." He introduced so May stopped dancing to face him.

"Nice to meet you, I'm May." She told him before we all introduced ourselves, though Max seemed just as excited as May was.

"And I'm Max! Hey, have you ever won any contests before Mr Big? Have you? Huh?" He questioned eagerly and his enthusiasm made Mr Big chuckle deeply as I reached out and ruffled Max's hair, giving him a smile and a wink as he turned his broad grin around to me.

"I've got three ribbons to prove it, son."

"That's awesome! Please sir, you've got to teach me everything! The works! How not to lose, how to win! What to think, to say, what to feel, to be!" Mr Big held out his hand against May's face though didn't touch, merely pushed her back as she tried to get closer and closer to plead with him.

"Now, now, now, please settle down. First off the most important skill a Pokémon coordinator can have is staying calm." Mr Big advised and this took May by complete surprise.

"Staying calm? Really?"

"Of course. When a coordinator is feeling nervous, the Pokémon can sense it and that can end up as a failed attack plan." He explained to her and May looked up thoughtfully.

"Come to think of it, I did rush that Silver Wind attack because I was so scared. Wow."

"A Pokémon coordinator should always maintain their poise no matter what's going on around them." Mr Big informed May before walking over to a stone which he sat down on, crossing his legs as we all followed then sat down in front of him, listening eagerly to what he had to say. "One more thing! There's more to becoming a great Pokémon trainer than just training. It's important that you watch what they eat as well." He said then pulled out a small handheld object that looked like a Pokéball on top of a lollypop stick. "Take this for example!"

"A Pokéblock case!" Max waved his arms excitedly and Mr Big turned to him.

"You know that Pokéblock is good for Pokémon, right?" He said and May nodded her head.

"Yeah?"

"Well, here's a little gift for you." He said then handed over the Pokéblock case to May, who gasped in wonder as she took it gratefully.

"Wow, this is great! Look what I got!" She said breathlessly as she held out her new tool for all of us to see.

"You're so lucky." Max said with a little whine so I ruffled his hair.

"Don't worry squirt, I'm sure May will let you help her out keeping her Pokémon healthy." I said as Mr Big looked over his shoulder.

"You know, I've got something else pretty great back at my shop. Come on and I'll show you." He turned and led the way back to his shop, May eagerly walking in his exact stride.

"So Mr Big, what do you do now instead of coordinating?" I asked him as we walked along.

"I coordinate and create the celebratory displays after the contest because I'm an official pyrotechnic." He told us simply, as if it were your standard, boring, everyday office job.

"Wow, so your job is creating fireworks Mr Big?" Ash said as he continued to walk.

"That's right. Now I'm working on Pokémon fireworks." He informed us but we all looked at one another in confusion before chorusing together.

"What are they?"

"After they soar up into the sky they explode into beautiful pictures of Pokémon." Mr Big described and I instantly imagined all the beautiful pictures in the sky, wondering how amazing it would be to see that actually in real life.

"No way! That sounds so cool!" May said but Mr Big didn't seem too enthused.

"Yes but I just can't seem to get the colours right and to make matters worse, I have to show some samples to the Pokémon contest chairman by _tonight_."

"Tor! Torchic Chic Chic!" Torchic said, appearing from within the store but had his back facing us, wiggling its tiny feathered tail as it pecked at something on the ground.

"Torchic? Are you okay?" May asked but as Torchic turned around with a bright eyed chirp, everyone gasped in shock when we saw the black staining his beak and feathers. "Agh! What happened?!" She yelped as Mr Big stared wide eyed.

"No! Can't be!" With that he rushed inside then dropped to the floor before an empty box.

"Is everything okay? What happened?" Ash asked as May picked up Torchic and we all walked inside.

"I left a bunch of Bluk berries in here." He said despondently.

"Bluk berries?" May repeated, not knowing what that was. According to my berry guide, it said Bluk berries were dark in colour and were like a bunch of grapes.

"Oh so that's it." Brock said as he brought out his own copy then flicked to the page where the Bluk berry information was held. "It says here eating Bluk berries will stain your mouth black." He revealed and May looked completely guilty and ashamed.

"Oh no! I guess Torchic ate them."

"Don't worry May, they're good for Pokémon." Mr Big said as Torchic chirped happily. "They help make their hair shiny. I was planning on giving some berries to all of you, but now I'm really in a bind. Bluk berries help give my fireworks and amazing hue, I was planning on mixing them in for tonight's samples." He sighed heavily. "But sadly it appears they've all been eaten." May instantly dropped to her knees and pressed Torchic into the ground.

"I'm sorry! Say you're sorry Torchic!" She ordered. "Those were not yours to eat!"

"Wait! It's really not Torchic's fault, I'm the one who shouldn't have left the store room door open." Mr Big quickly said to rescue Torchic from May's fury. Without those Bluk berries, Mr Big won't be able to show off his great samples to the chairman, and seeing as Torchic ate them, I see only one solution.

"Well guys, we all know what to do." I said brightly, placing my hands on my hips. "We're going Bluk berry hunting!" I cheered as May leaped up with a determined expression.

"Yes! Mr Big, I'll find you some Bluk berries. When's the latest I can get them to you?" She demanded to know and Mr Big took a leap back from May's dangerous determination.

"Before dark, but finding them isn't going to be easy you know May."

"Don't worry, I'll find 'em. Come on Torchic! Let's go get those berries." She said before racing outside and out into the woods, everyone blinking before hurrying after her.

"Wait up Ruby!" We split off and searched as far as we could, but as the day wore on, we were still without a single Bluk berry to show for our hard work. "You guys find anything?" I asked as I walked over to the gang, the last one to return but they all shook their heads.

"Nothing." Ash said before looking around. "Hey May, where's Torchic?" Instantly May was in a panic.

"I don't know! Torchic! Where are you?" We all turned and called out together, trying now to find Torchic.

"Torchic! Come on out!" When we heard Torchic give a little chirp, I spun around and pointed towards where I'd heard it come from. "Over there!" We all ran, pushing through the bushes until we spotted Torchic hanging from a branch up a cliff. How'd it get up there?

"Hey look." Ash said in disbelief as we all noticed the small clump of berries on the branch.

"Alright! Torchic found some berries!"

"Good job Torchic!" May praised happily as Torchic chirped, but then without warning the branch snapped and both Torchic and the berries dropped through the air, Torchic crying out in alarm.

"Beautifly use String Shot, now!" May instantly called, sounding confident and determined as Beautifly flew up then wrapped Torchic in a pretty lasso which snapped around Torchic then pulled him over to May, who ran forwards with a smile and caught her first Pokémon. "Are you okay Torchic?" She asked as she hugged her feathery friend, who chirped happily, assuring her everything was fine.

"Hm. That last attack had some real art to it." Drew noted and we all looked up to see him standing on the rocks, holding the berry branch over his shoulder casually.

"Thank you. Hey those Bluk berries belong to Torchic, give 'em back!" She ordered.

"Alright." Drew said and even I blinked in surprise. What's the catch you little punk? "All you have to do is battle with me first." Yup. I knew it. There's always a catch.

"No way." May said so Drew smirked down at her.

"Why not? Afraid you're going to embarrass yourself again?" He challenged and May instantly felt her blood boil, glaring up at Drew heatedly.

"Fine. I accept your challenge." She told him bravely but Drew's smirk only grew wider.

"Good. Smart move." He said before jumping down elegantly and flicked out his fringe. "I hope you'll prove to be a worthy opponent, though from what I've seen so far, I don't expect much." He said as Brock walked over and held out his hand.

"I'll be the referee, and take possession of those Bluk berries until the battle is over." He said so Drew shrugged then handed them over without a word, allowing Brock to take them and put them on a small rock as Max lay out a handkerchief to keep the berries undamaged as Brock held up a hand. "This mock contest battle will now be underway."

"Yeah! You can do it May!" Ash cheered.

"Show him what you've got!" Max agreed so May turned back a confident smirk.

"Thanks, I will." She informed before Brock called out to begin. "Beautifly! The stage is yours!" May called out and her Beautifly instantly appeared with glittering wings, streams falling down as she rose up into the air to let the sunlight dazzle her beauty perfectly. Drew gave a mocking laugh.

"Roselia! Go!" Instantly a cute looking green Pokémon appeared with a red and blue rose on its hands, its sweet trill ringing out as its entire body sparkled. Unsure of what it was, I pulled out my Pokédex and held it up to spot the Roselia so I could listen to the information.

"Roselia, the thorn Pokémon. Roselia's aroma can bring serenity, the thorns on its head contains a vicious poison." I looked up and secretly admitted how beautiful Roselia looked.

"Wow! What a cool Pokémon!" Max said but Drew merely gave a short laugh.

"Your comment doesn't even come close to describing the artistic style of my Pokémon." He boasted as May growled slightly.

"I'm not losing to you!"

"Then please, ladies first." Drew said in a false genteel manner. He's such a stuck up little wart. Go get him May! Pummel him into the dirt!

"Beautifly, Tackle now!" May called out first and Beautifly moved forwards with surprising speed for her graceful and delicate appearance, leaving a trail of pretty sparkling dust behind.

"Roselia, use Petal Dance." Drew asked calmly, not even looking up as his Roselia rose up into the air then began to spin quickly, blurring into motion until a spiral of petals blew down into Beautifly, stopping her in her tracks as she took the hit. The attack washed out and Beautifly struggled to remain afloat, wobbling slightly in the air. "Stun Spore!" Drew now called and Roselia danced around gracefully before lifting its roses and streams of dangerous spores came shooting out, hitting Beautifly and pushed her to the ground.

"Beautifly! Are you alright?" May asked in panic as Beautifly didn't get up.

"That was easy. I did expect a lot more from you than _that_." Drew drawled and I growled, considering offering to battle me instead and see how he likes insulting Jigglypuff. I'd love to see her Double Slap his face a couple times. Maybe even capture it on camera.

"Beautifly, you've got to get up now." May pleaded as Beautifly remained paralysed. "Beautifly, please!"

"Roselia, finish it off with Magical Leaf." Drew said in a bored tone and I glared at him further, narrowing my eyes as May started to get a little teary.

"Please Beautifly, wake up!"

"May, that's enough! Stop crying right now!" I told her in a firm voice, stepping forwards with a clenched fist. "You're not helping by letting yourself panic, now remember what Mr Big said! A coordinator must always remain calm." I said as Roselia began to twirl around again.

"That's right May, try keep your cool!"

"Stay calm May, you can do it!" Max agreed and May stared at us for a moment before taking a deep breath. As bright silver leaves shot out from Roselia's rose, May suddenly looked up with a battle hard expression.

"Silver Wind Beautifly, let's go!" Feeling May's newfound confidence gave Beautifly the boost she needed, rising up into the air before beating her wings with perfect streams of silver shooting out and blocked Roselia's Magical Leaf attack, making Drew's eyes go wide.

"No way!" He yelled as Roselia was lifted away and flung back. "No! Roselia!"

"Awesome Beautifly!" May cheered as we all punched the air behind her, celebrating and cheering also, but then Brock suddenly called out.

"What's going on?!" We all turned to see that the Bluk berries were making their own escape, disappearing over the edge of the cliff before Team Rocket suddenly showed up, standing on the top of their balloon as it rose higher.

"Prepare for trouble as we reel 'em in."

"Make it double, we win!" James answered as Brock wore an expression of disbelief and pointed at them uncertainly.

"You again?" They stole the Bluk berries for Mr Big! Not if we can help it, those berries were found by Torchic and May, so no fair!

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation." No not this again, I swear if I have to listen to this one more time, my head will explode! I can't take it anymore!

"Enough you sad morons, give us back those berries!" I yelled at them, interrupting their routine motto which instantly earned me a fierce glare from Jessie as she turned to face me.

"Excuse me twerp, but we weren't finished yet! Oh wait, you're back are you?" She questioned as she folded her arms. "Since when did you get back?"

"Yeah, I thought the tough twerp had gone off on her own." James said before they both shrugged at one another. "Never mind, it doesn't make any difference now anyway, because we've got the berries!" James crowed as Meowth leaped up.

"Yeah! And there ain't nothing you twerps can do about it! So now it's goodbye, and good Bluk!" He yelled as the balloon began to fly off with Team Rocket still in possession of the Bluk berries.

"Ugh. You ready Ash?" I turned to Ash who stepped forwards with a determined expression.

"Ready Ruby. Pikachu go! Use Thunderbolt!" He called as everyone ran forwards but May paused to shoot a look at Drew.

"This battle is over. We know someone who needs those Bluk berries!" You tell him May. We ran as far as we could go to the cliff edge before Pikachu tried to hit with a Thunderbolt, however it had no effect at all! It seemed to have got absorbed by this disk thing under the basket.

Team Rocket laughed before Meowth gloated back at us. "Zap all you want but your bolts aren't going nowhere with our zap back mach two!" He informed so I growled and pulled out a Pokéball.

"We'll see about that. Latias. I choose you!" I called and my Latias appeared, bigger, stronger and more beautiful than ever before, making everyone gasp in awe. "Latias, carry Pikachu closer for a close range attack!" I called and she instantly flew forwards, letting Pikachu jump onto her back as she shot towards Team Rocket.

"La!"

"Pika…CHUUUUU!" The bolt this time aimed for the balloon, however the disk pulled the lightning off course and absorbed it once more, meaning any attempts with an electric attack simply wasn't going to cut it.

"Oh no!" I gasped, unsure of what to do now. Latias didn't know any offensive attacks, which meant there wasn't anything I could do to help.

"Solar Beam, go!" Without warning a powerful blast of solar power blasted the disk with amazing accuracy, blowing it apart with a dramatic bang.

"Who's Solar Beam was that?" May blinked then looked around, seeing Drew standing there with his Roselia. "It was you?" I'm not the only one who's surprised. Drew actually came along to help out? That's almost nice of him.

"Not sure what's going on but happy to assist." He said with an honest smile as Ash pointed towards Team Rocket.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt them again!"

"Roselia, Solar Beam!" Because of the bright sunlight, Roselia charged up its Solar Beam at a break neck pace, combining beautifully with Pikachu's Thunderbolt for a doubly powerful hit. The entire balloon exploded and Team Rocket blasted off with their usual exit tune, leaving the Bluk berries behind as Latias and Pikachu came back towards us.

"Oh no, the Bluk berries!" Ash called and Latias made to shoot forwards but Torchic suddenly ran and leaped, jumping out over the cliff and without thinking, simply grabbed the twig which held the berries. Torchic smiled proudly before beginning to fall.

"Latias, go!" I called and Latias instantly soared forwards with a determined expression, Pikachu still riding on her back which made me chuckle for a moment, seeing as Latias used to be small enough for Pikachu to carry around on _his_ back.

Latias easily caught Torchic and Pikachu held him in front, keeping Torchic balanced as the three of them flew back over to us, smiling proudly and I laughed before capturing a photo of all their bright smiles and a proud Torchic holding the berries.

Torchic jumped off and into May's arms as she laughed and hugged her Torchic closely, glad to have him back safe and sound. "My little Torchic! I'm so proud of you." She said lovingly as Pikachu jumped off of Latias onto my shoulder, making me smile at him before he leaped onto Ash's instead.

"Latias, La Latias La." Latias said to me and I instantly hugged her head, tickling her chin gently as she nuzzled against me.

"You were great Latias, I'm proud of you too." I said as Brock looked at us with a smile.

"Wow, Latias has really grown. She must be nearly fully developed by now." Brock said as I nodded my head.

"Uh huh, she grows so fast! Plus she's strong, she can carry my weight no problem." I said as Max walked forwards.

"That's amazing! I can't wait to go Pokémon hunting, I'm going to capture as many legendries like Latias as I can!" He declared so I laughed then ruffled his hair.

"How about we stick to normal Pokémon first little squirt, just so you get some practice." I said before lifting him up and settling him on Latias's back, making him yell in joy then laugh as Latias circled around us with Max, the two of them just playing around as May walked over to Drew, who was staring at Latias in disbelief.

"Thanks for helping us Drew." May said to him so he shook himself awake then ran a hand through his hair to flick it out.

"No need to thank me, you know what? We'll battle in a real contest. That is assuming you can make your way through the preliminary round first." He gave a small gesture in goodbye as I walked over to May's side, the both of us smirking determinedly.

"Count on it mister." She said with a confidence I hadn't seen from her since we first met. It was good to see.


	23. Chapter 23

Seeing as May forgot to check the times for signing up for the Pokémon contest, we were running a little late. She started off running, but when I'd called out Charizard and dragged her onto his back with all the others, we had flown there and signed up still with plenty of time.

Once she was officially registered, we got some breakfast, trained, ate lunch, trained a little more then were ready and waiting for the Pokémon contest to begin at one. However as our commentator Vivien began to introduce the judges, May started to tremble and shake like a leaf, clutching her Pokéblock case as tightly as she could. "Hey May? May!" Ash tried before Max finally woke her up.

"Hello? May?!"

"Huh?! What? What's wrong?" She asked as her brow got a little sweaty from nerves.

"Are you okay? You look so nervous." Max asked his sister with concern as she quickly tried to pull the wool over our eyes.

"No! No, no, no, no I'm not nervous at all!" She tried but Brock quickly tried to calm her down.

"Hey it's understandable. Although you've performed with Janet before, this is really the first time you've been on stage all by yourself." He said to her so May finally exhaled then hung her head, closing her eyes as she admitted how she felt.

"I've never been this scared. Never."

"Stay calm, cause your Pokémon feel the way you do." Ash reminded May who looked up.

"And besides, it's not yourself that you have to worry about." I told her simply with a shrug. "The audience will be watching your Pokémon, and that's okay because you've been training so hard that your routine is perfect. There is literally nothing you have to worry about, just go out there and have fun, and that will double your appeal instantly." I advised as I came and sat down beside her, reaching out and taking a hand to give it a comforting squeeze. "You and Beautifly will be fine."

"Really? Are you sure?" I nodded my head.

"Trust me, that contest in Rustboro was quite daunting, I felt completely out of my league but one look at Jigglypuff once she was on stage and I knew that that was exactly where she was born to be. The way she seemed so confident made me feel a whole lot better, so we helped each other out. Now it's time for you and Beautifly to everyone what you've got, and I'll be with you all the way." I promised her and she sighed with relief.

"Thanks Ruby. You know, I'm really glad you're my coach. You always know exactly what to say." She smiled at me before looking at Beautifly as she landed on May's head. "Beautifly, it's time to show everyone how a perfect Silver Wind is done!" She said confidently so I smiled then let go of her hand to stand and watch the other coordinators. I found it a great way to pick up tricks or be inspired for new moves for your own act, so I paid close attention.

When it was Drew's turn, May finally found the courage to look up and watch. "That Drew. Thinks he's so great." She said with a glare at the screen and I glanced between them before smirking ever so slightly. Looks like May's found her first rival in Drew.

Drew kicked off with a gorgeous Petal Dance which filled the stadium, making everyone gasp in awe as the petals were given a bright sheen from the sparkling dust that drifted with them. "That was okay. I guess." Ash said, trying to pretend he wasn't impressed but I knew him too well for that. Besides, I could see the evidence right in front of my eyes. It was gorgeous.

Following up the Petal Dance came Stun Spore and I instantly frowned. Hold up, wasn't that the same combination he used against Beautifly? When Drew called for Magical Leaf, my eyes widened. Exactly the same! No way, Drew relied so much on his routines, he used them in perfect order, making it all too easy to guess his next move, unless it was just a double ploy he used to try and get people to drop their guard. I'll have to watch the punk very closely.

When Drew's turn finished, the crowd was just completely captivated with how beautiful and magnificent Roselia looked as it took a bow, earning a thunderous applause from everyone. When the judges gave their scores, Drew received the highest score yet in the ranking, putting him way up at the top.

The others had to go get their seats but I stayed with May a little while longer, knowing she wasn't yet ready to face this on her own. "Hey, chill out." I said to her with a smile. "It's going to be so much fun, you're going to be a great coordinator too, which means one day you and I will be intense rivals. I can't wait to have a battle with you once we've both gained plenty of experience." I said and her head lifted a little.

"I can't wait either, it'll be a battle to remember." She agreed just as Drew walked in.

"Yo. I see you made it." He said in a slightly nice tone as he looked down at May.

"Hello Drew." May said in a small voice as he then went on to brag.

"I trust that you caught our performance. That was some true art." He stated, flicking a hand through his hair but May only glared at him.

"What do you want? Did you just come here to brag?" That made Drew chuckle slightly, turning his green eyes back on May with a little smile.

"No, as a great coordinator, I'm here to cheer you on. See, I want you to at least make it through the preliminary round." May stood up suddenly so I sighed, leaning back as I listened to her retort.

"Well then just watch me oh great one!" She told him firmly so I stepped forwards and pushed the two apart.

"Okay, let's cool it down. We don't want any accidents happening before the preliminaries have even started." I said to them both then folded my arms. "I don't care who says what to who, Pokémon contests are meant to be about the _Pokémon_ , not about scoring points against another coordinator. Let's everyone just play fair and just do our best."

"Good call. As I understand it, you've already got two ribbons of your own _and_ you were in the Johto League Silver Conference." Drew said to me, making me look at him with an arched eyebrow.

"Yeah? So what?" He just shrugged.

"Nothing. I just hope I get to battle you someday. I'm interested to know what kind of messy, ignorant style you've come up for yourself." He's so lucky I don't send Jigglypuff out here to Double Slap him, because I am seriously consider it.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes then looked away. "Hey May, do you want me to stay with you or would you rather I go watch in the stands with the others?" I asked her and she gulped slightly, pressing her fingers together in thought before answering.

"I'll be okay. I'm fine now, really!" She assured me so I nodded my head.

"Okay." I made to move away but then I remembered something. "Oh, before I go, I got you something. A little good luck charm." I said to her then pulled something from my pocket. I picked up May's hand then dropped it into her palm so she could see the gold necklace with a little rose, sparkling simply yet effectively. "So you can always remember, no matter what, you're a champ in our eyes." I winked at her before walking away with a wave of my hand. "And don't worry about the audience. As far as you're concerned, they don't exist out there." With that I left her to relax herself with the comfort of Beautifly.

By the time I reached the others, it was May's turn and she walked out onto the stage where Vivien introduced her. "This is May's first time participating in a Pokémon contest, so let's give her a warm welcome and watch her Pokémon's elegant entry." But as Vivien stepped away, May was left paralysed in fear, staring at the audience who all cheered.

"Oh no." I murmured as I stood behind Max, my hands resting on his shoulders.

"This isn't good. I think she's overwhelmed by the stadium." Brock said to Ash tried to shout down to her.

"Just stay calm May!" However his voice was drowned out by the sound of the audience cheering. I watched as May took a deep breath before picking up Beautifly's Pokéball however as she kicked back one leg, her foot slipped and she fell back onto the ground, making the entire audience gasp as we all yelled aloud. This is bad!

"Oh no! Are you alright dear?" Vivien asked with worry as she hurried over then offered a hand to help May stand up but thankfully, she laughed and her answer was caught on the microphone, making everyone chuckle.

"I'm fine, that was just a little warm up." She said before turning around. "Beautifly, it's time for you to take the stage!" Beautifly appeared and with a spread of her wings, let their sparkling sheen dazzle the audience.

"Wow, Beautifly's marvellous wings really do catch your eye." Vivien commented as May started to play Frisbee with Beautifly and her String Shot, accurately hitting back the toy again and again for May to catch then toss back. "Excellent! And a clean catch! They're really going strong now! That incredible combination has more than made up for May's earlier slipup."

We all cheered as May switched from String Shot to Gust, sending the Frisbee at Beautifly who returned it, however as May jumped to receive it, she fumbled slightly and almost dropped it, making us all inhale sharply before she landed on the ground with it safely in hand, so we exhaled and relaxed.

Now for the grand finale, I _know_ May can pull this off, I know she can. "Beautifly, Silver Wind!" May called and Beautifly's wings glowed bright silver before beating the air, streams of beautiful rays flashing outwards until May asked Beautifly to spin, surrounding herself in a beautiful effect that completely captivated the audience with Beautifly's beauty.

"Amazing! It looks as if Beautifly has been surrounded by its own silvery robe!" Vivien commented as the gang and I all cheered loudly for May, calling out to her as she struck her finishing pose, an elegant bow with her arms high and one leg pushed back as Beautifly landed on her head with wings spread wide. We waited until finally, twenty four point nine flashed up onto the screen, signalling May's points.

With a laugh I pushed off and ran back to the waiting room to find May, eager to congratulate her but as I neared, I slowed down so that I didn't startle anyone. I opened the door quietly then instantly spotted May ahead of me, however Drew had beaten me to her.

What startled me, however, is that he was offering May a rose. "A good performance May." He complimented her and she suddenly smiled a little, not looking so down.

"Is that for me? Thanks Drew!"

"Not for you, it's for your Beautifly! It's obvious that the coordinator still has a lot of training to do." Drew noted as he flicked a hand through his hair and May glared at him from the slight insult.

"Well I guess we all can't be as good as you." She answered back as I decided to step forwards.

"What are you talking about? I thought you were amazing." I said with a simple shrug. "Besides, _Drew_ , you know as well as I do that a Pokémon can't perform well without the skill of their trainer, so Beautifly owes May a lot for all her hard work. Am I right May?" I said with a wink at her but Drew just flicked out his hair again.

"I guess." Suddenly the results were put on screen and everyone jumped up, however May instantly gasped and I craned my neck to see. Hey, she got in! Ha, I knew she would. How couldn't she? She had the audience all on the edge of their seats either in awe or fear of a calamity.

"You made it..." Drew murmured, almost in shock. "Because…"

"I know, you want to say it was all because of Beautifly. Oh who cares?! My Beautifly and I are moving on to the secondaries!" She squealed and I gave a silent smile. I totally knew she could do it.

"And now, the contestants are being randomly chosen to see who they will be facing in battle. And the results are in!" Instantly May and I stared, mouths dropping open to see she would be going up against Drew.

"Don't tell me…"

"Huh, me against you? That'll be fun." Be careful mister, one wrong word against my friend May and you'll be wishing you'd never set eyes on her! With the battles starting to get underway, I turned to May to see her now gripping her rose charm and the one Drew had given her, unsure of what to do.

"Hey, it's going to be okay." I told her softly. "Just do your best, and learn all you can. Because next time, you can use that knowledge to become even stronger. If there's one thing I've learned through battling, it's that you always should learn from the person you battle against in case you battle again."

"Right. Learn a lot. Thanks. I got it." She said so I gave her a quick smile before leaving her be. When it came to Drew and May, however, I couldn't help but grip the bar tightly as I watched. It began with Magical Leaf against Gust, and although Beautifly's Gust repelled the attack, it went flying right back at Beautifly and did some major damage, losing May a lot of points.

"What? What happened?!" Ash and I both yelled in unison.

"Magical Leaf is an attack that never misses, just like Swift." Brock informed us so we glanced to one another before turning back to the battle. May tried to use String Shot against Roselia's Stun Spore to immobilise Roselia but Drew countered with Magical Leaf again, cutting through the string.

"Okay Beautifly, Silver Wind!"

"Roselia use Petal Dance." With Roselia spinning so quickly, Beautifly's Silver Wind was deflected and the petals soared closer to Beautifly, threatening to strike but May smartly guided Beautifly up to dodge. "Roselia. Solar Beam!" Uh oh, this is bad, this is really, _really_ bad!

May tried to use String Shot in the time Roselia took to charge up its Solar Beam, however it was still too quick and Beautifly was hit with full power. Beautifly fell to the ground and stayed there despite May's encouraging for her to get back up and then, the judges all pressed their buzzers to knock Beautifly out of the competition.

"It's battle off for Beautifly!" Vivien called and Ash frowned.

"What's battle off?"

"The judges have decided that the battle is over as Beautifly can't continue, so there's no point in going on for the full five minutes." I explained to him. "That happened to Jigglypuff and I on our second competition. The guy we were up against was just so strong that his Milotic just left us without any more strength to battle on." I explained as I sighed. "Poor May, and she was doing so well."

"Yeah, it's too bad." Ash agreed sadly as we all looked down at the battlefield.

"Come on. May's going to need us." I said, lifting my head and began to walk back to the coordinator's area. Sure enough May was sitting on a bench, crying quietly in shame so I sat beside her, however I didn't say a thing.

"I'm so sorry May." Max said sincerely to his sister as she cried.

"I stink. I couldn't do a thing!" She sniffed. "And to think, my Beautifly worked so hard out there. All I did was totally mess things up. I feel awful!" She sobbed and I continued to just sit at her side, waiting for the moment when it would be right to speak. "You know, the only thing I could think about was how much fun it would be to enter a contest, and to perform side by side with my Beautifly, but I…never thought how hard it be to lose!" She suddenly yelled and Brock inclined his head.

"It hurts May." He told her simply as her brother nodded his head.

"It hurts a lot." May sniffed then turned into me, sobbing onto my shoulder as I put an arm around her, letting her soak my shoulder with her tears as the audience suddenly cheered loudly and I looked up to the screen where Drew stood with Roselia and faced a Milotic and its trainer. Hey…that's the guy who knocked me out of my second contest, it's Robert! Wow, fancy seeing him again so soon.

As Milotic knocked Roselia back with Iron Tail then blocked its Magical Leaf with Twister, the time ran out and Robert was declared the winner of the round and proceeded on to the final battle. "Unbelievable, Drew lost."

"You'd be surprised. That Milotic may look beautiful but it's as tough as Pokémon can get. I know from experience." I said, noticing out the corner of my eye how May had stopped crying and lifted her head. "Come on, let's go watch the last battle up in the stands. I can promise you Robert will give a great show, maybe he'll inspire us May with some new combinations?" I suggested, taking her hand then led her outside.

Robert won with a beautiful display of grace, power and beauty that his Milotic gave with flawless moves. Its dazzling perfection captivated everyone in the audience and May even brightened up a lot, almost forgetting that she had lost her first competition.

As the ribbon was rewarded, I saw May leave so I tapped everyone on the shoulder then followed after her as she ran for the entrance. "Drew!" She called ahead of her and I saw Drew stop and turn around.

"What is it May, you want a rematch?" He asked with a little hostility but May merely smirked with a competitive smirk.

"Next time, I won't be the loser." She told him confidently and his face fell into a softer expression, giving a little smile before flicking out his hair.

"Oh yeah? Well we'll just see. Of course, I'll be a lot stronger too remember? See ya." He said before walking away and May took a step after him, still looking confident and determined.

"Looks like Drew's even more determined than before." Ash noted with appreciation as Max turned to his big sister.

"And you May?" He asked her and she turned to face us.

"You can do it, we'll all help you out." Brock said to he and she smiled.

"Thanks a lot you guys. I'm done crying. From now on I'm going to be a great coordinator and focus on my training and my battling. Yeah, watch me!" She cheered before leaping up into the air with a fist, similar to how I would celebrate a victory or some good news, so I chuckled then nodded my head. Looks like I was right, Robert's performance _has_ inspired May, as well as Drew's competitiveness. With that as a combination, there was no way May could go wrong.


	24. Chapter 24

With rail tickets I'd bought us all, we got to Mauville City a lot faster than if we had walked there. The underground shuttle took us right to the city centre where we got off then head over to the gym straight away so Ash could challenge the gym leader.

"You know, it's nice walking around and all, but it sure feels great to take a break for once." May said happily. "That shuttle was a smart move Ruby." She said to me so I just waved a hand simply.

"No problem, seeing as my parents feel guilty about missing my birthday, they sent me a lot of money to make up for it." I said to them. "So I figured taking a little break from walking around after the contest would be a great way for Ash to get mentally prepared for his battle."

"And it sure worked. I can't wait!" He said brightly before we stood in front of the gym. "Well, here we are! Let's go inside." Ash touched the door and made to swing it open. "I'm here for a gym-wargh!" The door fell down flat to the ground.

"Genius Ash, you broke the door. Great first impression." I said to him as we all stepped forwards. Suddenly the bars shot up and the platform jerked forwards along the rail, forcing everyone to grab onto the railing and I gripped Max to me to keep him steady as everyone yelled in surprise.

"This is how they welcome you into the gym?" Ash questioned as he looked around, the platform slowing down so we all stood there. We turned around corners both left and right as Max laughed.

"I feel like I'm on a ride at the amusement park." Suddenly the ride took an upturn for the worse. Literally. We shot upwards, gaining a little speed.

"Yeah. I feel it too." I said drolly as I gripped onto Max and the side once more.

"I'm not very amused!" May answered as she clung to Brock and Ash as the ride slowed, reaching the top as Brock gulped.

"Just…like a…roller coaster!" He yelled as we suddenly descended at top speed, everyone yelling in tight gripped fear until we were met with a large lake which the platform skidded over, making everyone jolt and jerk around unsteadily as we were tossed around before finally it evened out and we floated to the other end.

"Well, this is no way for a gym leader to welcome their guests." May said irritably as she glared ahead.

"You're right. Seems a strange way for someone to say hello." Brock agreed but Max turned to us with an excited look.

"Ah come on guys, I think its fun." He defended as we came upon closed doors which suddenly opened to reveal a giant four legged Pokémon with purple clouds on its back. "Wow! It's a Raikou!" Max stared, stunned by the presence of the legendary electric beast. Without warning it roared again then sent an electric attack at us so we all ducked and I covered Max with my arms, tucking his head against me to shield him from the blast.

"Quick, use Thunderbolt." Ash said to Pikachu who nodded his head then leaped up, charging up his energy before blasting a Thunderbolt at the Raikou and blocked its next attack. "Now, use Iron Tail!" Ash directed and Pikachu's tail began to glow before striking at Raikou's head, where it lodged in place.

"Pika?" Light began to shine out from the Raikou at the crack Pikachu had made before it had exploded, revealing mechanical insides sparking at the wires.

"So that Raikou was just a fake?" Max questioned and I nodded my head.

"Looks that way squirt."

"Pikachu, are you okay?" Ash asked so Pikachu turned around and nodded his head.

"Pika Pika!" Sparks jumped from Pikachu's cheeks as he gave a battle ready expression, assuring everyone he was fine. Suddenly one of the doors opened and two men walked out, the first being slightly portly with white hair and beard and the second being taller with a beige jumper and glasses.

"That was great!" The first declared as he approached us. "I never thought I'd see the day when my electric Raikou was turned to scrap metal." Suddenly he boomed with laughter and I drew back slightly, my arms still protectively encircled around Max. What's wrong with that guy?

"Hi folks, welcome to the Mauville gym." The second greeted us all and May blinked.

"So…you're the gym leader?" She questioned and the first guy pressed a hand to his chest.

"Guilty! I'm Mr Wattson, and this is Watt, my assistant." Wattson introduced them both so Ash smiled and stepped forwards.

"Cool! I'm Ash from Pallet Town, I've come here for a battle and I'm here to win my third badge." He said with confidence, making Wattson smile.

"I haven't seen a challenger with that much spunk in a long time." He said before laughing, making us all draw back slightly. Maybe we should come back later? Once he's calmed down? He's kind of scaring me.

We were led to the battlefield without any more tricks or surprises jumping out at us, so things got underway. Watt was refereeing the battle and he called out the usual rules, three Pokémon, only challenger substitutions. Awesome!

"I'll be using Voltorb, Magnemite and Magneton. I've been working with these Pokémon for a great number of years!" Wattson said before laughing in his loud, boisterous way.

"So the Mauville gym is an electric type gym!" Max realised so I looked down at him.

"You didn't find the big guard Pokémon we just met a clue?" I asked him and he chuckled guiltily as Brock noted something.

"It's kind of surprising how he'd reveal which Pokémon he's using."

"Yeah, that's confidence." May agreed as Max clenched his fists excitedly.

"I wonder which Pokémon Ash is going to use first. Hey, Treecko is pretty strong against electric Pokémon, that would work." He reasoned as May touched her cheek with a thoughtful look.

"But a water Pokémon like Corphish wouldn't work." She said and Brock nodded his head.

"Right, but Taillow would be okay. Even though it's a flying type, I still think it could be a pretty good matchup." Brock reasoned with reference to Taillow's ability to simply take electric attacks and still carry on battling. Pikachu leaped onto the battle, ready to prove himself against his fellow electric type Pokémon.

"Alright, you ready to go Pikachu? In that case, I choose you!" He decided and Wattson laughed, obviously liking Ash's spunk all the more. I glanced between the two, wondering how this was going to play out. Although Pikachu was strong, electric attacks don't have that much effect on other electric Pokémon. Maybe Pikachu's Iron Tail will help even things out a little.

"Go Magnemite! Use Swift!" Wattson called and his small magnet Pokémon flew out before sending bright coloured stars at Pikachu.

"Dodge and use Thunderbolt!" Ash directed so Pikachu leaped up into the air and charged up, bright sparks jumping from his cheeks before an incredible bolt of electricity powered down on Magnemite, knocking it out of the battle in one hit and everyone gasped in shock.

Pikachu just…defeated another electric type Pokémon with one hit? I never knew he had that much power in him. I wasn't the only one who was shocked. The gang around me were up on their feet too and Wattson was staring in shock.

"Magnemite is unable to battle, Pikachu wins!" Watt ruled as everyone pondered on what had just happened. At least, all except Wattson who simply burst into laughter again as he returned Magnemite.

"Obviously for every rule there's an exception. Go Voltorb, use Screech!" He called out but as Pikachu hit with another Thunderbolt, Voltorb was also knocked out of the round. Not only that, but when Pikachu faced Magneton, he cancelled out its Zap Cannon with Thunder and also knocked Magneton out of the battle with just one hit, leaving Ash and Pikachu the winners. What? I don't get it. Has Pikachu been holding back all his power until now? I'm impressed.

I leaped down off the stands with a clean jump then walked over to Ash and Pikachu as they received the Dynamo Badge, however the moment Wattson was gone Pikachu collapsed, causing Ash to drop to his knees. "Pikachu! Are you okay? You don't look so good." Ash said as he picked him up. "Oh no! You're burning up!" Instantly I was at his side, trying to check Pikachu's temperature but the moment I got too close to one of his cheek sacks, a bolt sparked out and jolted up my arm, making me cry out.

"We need to get Pikachu to Nurse Joy right away." I said so we all ran out of the gym and straight to the Pokémon Centre where Nurse Joy instantly hooked Pikachu up to a voltage metre to measure his electric readings.

"Pikachu's electricity level is reading much higher than it normally would. Has there been any exposure to high voltage recently?" She asked as she looked back at us and we all blinked, thinking immediately to what had happened back at the gym.

"Yeah there has." Ash said. "Pikachu hit a mechanical Raikou with Iron Tail and it exploded." He told her and Nurse Joy nodded her head.

"Then that's when this overcharge occurred. An overcharge is very dangerous, it allows for incredible energy to be released for a short time but it also puts a lot of stress on Pikachu." She explained and both Brock and I gasped.

"Of course! That's why Pikachu's electric attacks were so amazingly powerful!" Brock realised as I nodded my head.

"Right, and because Pikachu was so charged up, Wattson's Pokémon didn't stand a chance and Pikachu beat them all with one hit!"

"What?!" Nurse Joy said as she looked over at Ash. "You _swept_ a gym battle?" Suddenly Pikachu's charge began to diffuse, lowering down until finally, Pikachu opened his eyes.

"Pika!" Nurse Joy walked over and let Pikachu out of the headpiece.

"That's great, you should be just fine now." Nurse Joy said as Pikachu jumped into Ash.

"Pika Pi!"

"I'm sorry pal, I should have realised it." Ash said to Pikachu who shook his head in answer then licked Ash's face gently, making him laugh and hold him closer. The door opened and Watt raced inside, looking instantly at Nurse Joy.

"Nurse Joy! Have you seen my boss anywhere?" He asked desperately and Nurse Joy blinked.

"Mr Wattson? He was here just a minute ago. But it was strange, he wasn't acting like himself at all." She noted and Watt nodded his head.

"Yeah, I've just found out that he's abandoning the gym! Take a look at this note he left me." Watt said as we all stared in disbelief. Wattson abandoned the gym? Did he really feel that bad about losing to Ash in a clean sweep? Nurse Joy read out the letter and our mouths all dropped open further.

"We've got to find Wattson right away!" Brock said to Ash as we all turned to him.

"He needs to know that your gym battle was a mistake!" May agreed as Ash turned his head, Pikachu standing on his shoulder.

"A mistake? What do you mean the battle was a mistake?" Watt asked us.

"Pikachu had gotten overcharged by accident, so his attacks were more powerful." Watt gasped, eyes widening in realisation.

"You know, Mr Wattson just might be at his favourite spot. I mean that little island with the abandoned power plant." Watt turned around to face Nurse Joy with a relieved expression.

"You know, you may be right! Mr Wattson used to train there all the time."

"Then let's go. We've got to go explain everything to Mr Wattson." Ash said and I nodded my head.

"Right, Watt? Can you show us the way?" I asked and he turned to lead us out.

"Sure, just follow me!" He led us out of the Pokémon centre then we all ran to the island where apparently an old electric power plant had been abandoned ages ago. However when we got there, we found Wattson facing a giant machine that had sucked up a load of electric Pokémon from within the power plant.

"Team Rocket!" We all called out as we ran forwards. "Not you guys! What do you want?" Ash demanded but then Wattson turned his head back to look at us.

"I got this." He said to us but Watt pleaded with Wattson to come back to the gym but Wattson lowered his head with a sigh. "It's too late. Just let an old soldier fade away." He said despondently.

"Mr Wattson, you don't understand!" Ash tried to tell him but then Team Rocket caught our attention, waving to us.

"Yoo hoo, Pikachu!" Jessie called before the nozzle head turned around to face us and we all grounded our feet, blocking against the wind but then Pikachu was sucked inside, yelling for Ash as he disappeared then was dropped into the cage with all the other Pokémon. "And we'll take one Electrike too." Jessie decided and the nozzle turned down to the ground where Elektrike was sucked up.

"No! Elektrike!" Wattson called but before anyone could make a move, a net show out and trapped us all. "No! What is this?"

"Max! Are you okay?" May asked as we all began to struggle.

"Yeah, but Team Rocket are getting away!" He called out as Ash and I flipped the net off of me and stood up.

"Not for long, I'm coming Pikachu!" Ash said as he ran forwards. "Use Iron Tail!" Pikachu instantly began to strike at the cage with Iron Tail and Elektrike started to bite at the bars.

"Charizard, it's show time! Come on out and keep Team Rocket busy!" I flung out Charizard's Pokéball and he roared as he rose into the sky, flying up before landing in front of Team Rocket's giant vacuum cleaner then gripped its front, keeping it from moving though Team Rocket tried to up the gear and stepped on the gas. "You can do it Charizard!" I cupped my hands around my mouth to shout. "Flamethrower now!"

Charizard blasted Team Rocket with a hot plume of flames, toasting them around the edges until finally, Pikachu and Elektrike broke through the bars and all the Pokémon escaped to freedom. "Alright!" Max punched the air as I smiled, watching Pikachu and Elektrike as they ran to Ash and Wattson.

"Okay Charizard, let's rattle things up for Team Rocket!" I called out to him and he growled in agreement before starting to shake their machine, rattling them inside before he managed to shove it over and they all tumbled out.

"Alright fine, if it's a battle you want then a battle you'll get! Go Seviper, finish them with Poison Tail!" Jessie called out and her Seviper appeared with a hiss, baring its long fangs at us all as James's Cacnea joined the party too.

"Go Cacnea!" He called but the moment it latched onto him he squealed in pain. "No not me! Get them! Pin Missile!"

"Go Pikahcu, dodge then use Thunderbolt!" Ash directed and Pikachu instantly dodged out of the way of both attacks before lighting both Pokémon up easily. "Now use Quick Attack." Pikachu darted forwards and slammed into both Seviper and Cacnea, sending them bounding back to Team Rocket who stared with faces of dread, knowing what was coming next.

"Do you think we should run for it?" James asked the others.

"Mighty fancy attacking Ash." Wattson complimented as Jessie growled then pulled out her next Pokémon.

"Okay you're my last hope. Go Dustox! Blow them away!" Wait, a Dustox? Oh yeah that's right I forgot, May had told me all about how Jessie had caught a Wurmple and the two had both evolved at the same time, however May had received a Beautifly and Jessie a Dustox because of the random branched evolution. Dustox began to beat the air and Pikachu was blown back by the powerful attack. "Now use Psybeam!" Jessie called and the buggy eyes began to glow with different colours before shooting out a beam at Pikachu.

"Elektrike, Thunder Wave!" Wattson countered, protecting Pikachu from the attack and his new friend Elektrike sent out numerous bolts of harmless yet paralysing electricity, stopping the attack as Dustox was now frozen stiff.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash directed, throwing out a hand and Pikachu instantly blasted them with a bolt as Charizard flew around to my side.

"Flamethrower!" I pointed at Team Rocket and Charizard instantly hit them with his powerful attack, the two combining until the ground exploded and Team Rocket were sent flying off into the air. You know, I still can't believe they keep on coming back after being fired into the air so many times. Do they _always_ get a soft landing? "Nice Charizard." I said simply yet proudly, patting his stomach as he nodded his head with a gruff growl. "That sure showed them."

"Pikachu, you saved all of those Pokémon." Ash was saying to Pikachu who shook his head then walked over to Elektrike to gesture to it.

"Pika, Pika Pikachu." Wattson chuckled.

"Pikachu's right. They both worked together to save the Pokémon of the power plant." He said as Ash walked forwards, one fist clenched as he held the Dynamo badge.

"Mr Wattson? This badge isn't mine." Ashe began to explain. "That gym battle of ours wasn't fair, you see, Pikachu got super charged when he blasted your Raikou, so it made Pikachu's attack a lot more powerful than normal." Wattson looked down to Pikachu as I settled onto Charizard's shoulder, slinging one arm around his neck to keep balanced as we watched.

"Well that makes sense. But still Ash, I think you should keep that badge anyway." Wattson said with a smile, making Ash blink in confusion.

"Why?"

"Your Pikachu may have been more powerful than usual in our gym battle, but I watched Pikachu rescue those Pokémon and how you two worked together won me over. So there's no doubt that you're the most deserving of this Dynamo Badge." Ash looked at Wattson, still slightly unsure and I could see his point. Ash was a guy of honour, he liked to win his battles fair and square.

"Ash, its not always the battle that matters when earning a badge." I said to him and everyone looked up at me as I sat on Charizard's shoulder. "By coming back to tell Wattson how you felt the battle was unfair, you demonstrated great honesty and sportsmanship, which is vital for any Pokémon trainer to have, so you've earned that badge fair and square." I told him and he looked at me for a moment longer before turning to Wattson.

"Are you sure?" He nodded his head.

"I'm positive." Ash finally smiled, giving a laugh and gripped the Dynamo badge tightly.

"Thanks Mr Wattson! Yeah! I got a Dynamo badge!"

"Pi Pikachu!"


	25. Chapter 25

Ash, Max, Brock and I watched as May practiced her routine with Beautifly, tossing the frisbee back and forth with Beautifly returning it with Gust, perfectly in time so that May caught it effortlessly. "Looking good May." Brock commented as we all snacked on our lunch.

"Yeah, you and Beautifly are looking awesome." Max agreed as May turned and gave us a smile.

"Thanks. You're all seeing the winner of our next contest. One more time!" May called as she flung the frisbee out but in her eagerness, she threw it the wrong way and it sailed off out of sight. "Whoops, guess I got carried away. Torchic, would you mind getting it for me?" She asked and Torchic, eager to please May, instantly chirped happily and raced off to go fetch it. "Thank you!" May called after Torchic before looking up at Beautifly as she landed on May's head. "You were looking great Beautifly. Not long now until our next contest." She said before turning to me. "Will you compete too?"

"I don't know." I said, thinking up at the clouds. "I'd really like to capture a new Pokémon to compete with, but I don't know what to do. I haven't really found any Pokémon that really catch my eye, but I don't want to just transfer a Pokémon over here because that defeats the object of me starting again." I said then sighed. "Ugh…contests are hard."

"Don't worry Ruby, I'm sure you'll find a Pokémon you want to catch soon, and until then you still have Jigglypuff, or you could even try your Latias or Charizard." I sat up and arched an eyebrow.

"You can really imagine Charizard on stage performing tricks for everyone?" Brock paused before giving a wry laugh.

"Yeah…I see your point." Suddenly we heard Torchic calling out, catching May's attention instantly.

"Torchic? Where are you?" She asked loudly as she walked over. "Where'd you go Torchic?" We all followed down the hill, spotting the pink Frisbee at the bottom but no Torchic. "I don't get it, where's my sweet little Torchic?" May questioned worriedly before we all heard his high pitched chirp again coming from the tall grass.

"Over there, let's take a look." Brock said and we all walked in, parting the grass but then saw a tiny pink Pokémon with a tail laying curled up on the ground, shivering slightly with Torchic nuzzling close to try and keep it warm. "Oh!"

"What Pokémon's that?" May asked so Brock answered her.

"It's a Skitty!"

"It looks sick." I said, stepping forwards and felt its head gently. What worried me was how the wild Pokémon didn't even flinch from my touch. It was too exhausted to even move. "Skitty is a little colder than what would be considered normal.

"Skitty huh?" Ash questioned as he pulled out his Pokédex.

"Skitty, the kitten Pokémon. Skitty will get completely caught up in pursuing any moving objects that catch its eye."

"Hi! I'm May, you're so cute!" May said softly but the Skitty only meowed back in reply. May instantly squealed loudly, completely taken with how adorable Skitty was. "Oh! I have to catch it! Torchic, let's go!"

"Not now May, Skitty needs help." I said to May and she stopped and knelt back down before the Skitty.

"Is it sick?" She asked then scooped Skitty up. "What's wrong with it?"

"I think it's exhausted and its temperature may be low because its body might have gone into shock." I said to her simply. "We need to get it some proper rest and keep it warm. Here, I'll wrap it in a blanket and you can hold it May." I said, pulling out a warm blanket and wrapped Skitty snuggly into it. "And with a spray of this and Skitty should fall right off to sleep in no time, and be revitalised at the same time." I said, spraying a small bottle of sweet scented fragrance onto Skitty who yawned then settled down instantly, breathing deeply.

"Wow, that smells good, what is it?" May asked as I put the bottle away in my medicine pouch.

"It's something I created through experimentation. I took a couple of perfume making lessons whilst I was away and they taught me how to make my own perfumes and potions which can help a Pokémon. That one was made with the fragrance of Meganium flowers, Butterfree Sleep Powder, some herbs like mint and lavender before voila! The finish product, perfect for helping a Pokémon take a little nap. Skitty should be feeling fine in no time." I said as Max's mouth dropped open.

"Wow…you know everything there is to know about Pokémon medicine! Can you teach me one day?" Max asked and I nodded my head, ruffling his hair with a wink.

"Sure thing squirt. You'd better keep an eye on Skitty for a while May, I think it really likes you." I said to her as I picked up Torchic. "How about finishing our lunch? I'm still so hungry I could eat a Ponyta, or even a Rapidash!" I said and May smiled down at Skitty.

"Don't you worry Skitty, we're going to take good care of you." May promised so we all walked back up to where we had been watching May train. She took good care of Skitty, not letting it go for one second as she hummed to herself with a broad smile, cradling Skitty as if it were a little baby. "This Skitty has to be the cutest Pokémon ever! I want it." May said so I looked up from where I was stirring the soup.

"Well then May, why don't you battle and catch it after it wakes up? Or you could just ask it to come along with you." I said to her and she stared at me.

"Ask it to come along with me? What does that mean?"

"It means if a Pokémon likes you, sometimes they'll want to be part of your team without having to battle." Ash explained as he sat on the rock with Pikachu and Max. "I've caught loads of my Pokémon that way, ever since I started back in Kanto."

"Yeah, that's the only way he ever seemed to _get_ any Pokémon back then." I told them with a chuckle. "It's also how I got most of my Pokémon too. Dragonair, Vaporeon, Ivysaur, Jigglypuff, they all wanted me as their friend and trainer so I caught them and we've all been best friends ever since." I explained then noticed Skitty had woken up, yawning before smiling brightly up at May.

"Hey there sleepyhead, did you have a nice nap?" May asked it and Skitty meowed in reply. "That's great! I'm so happy you're all better now, you had me worried Skitty." She said and Skitty wriggled out of the blanket, stretched out but then a twitch of its tail made it turn to look at it, blinking before chasing it around and around in circles.

"Well that's pretty cute." Brock said as he polished his Forretress and bathed his Mudkip who splashed around in the inflatable bath Brock had somehow managed to fit into his bag along with everything else he needed. Skitty stopped chasing its tail when it got dizzy but then noticed Max as he coiled up a rope after checking it was still in good shape.

Skitty meowed brightly then ran at Max, trying to chase after rope as he coiled it up and he yelled as Skitty came rushing at him. "No! Don't Tackle me!" Too late. Skitty ploughed into Max, sending him sprawling but then Skitty was off, chasing Torchic, chasing Corphish, chasing everyone that moved but took a particular liking to Pikachu's tail and chased him all around camp after it.

"Hold up now Skitty, not so fast." May said with a giggle as she calmly picked up Skitty as it continued to run. "You little cutie, I'd love to catch you! How about it Skitty? Would you like to be on my team?" She asked and picked up a Pokéball which Skitty instantly tried to play with. May started in surprise and dropped the Pokéball and Skitty chased after it as it ran away, overtaking then stopped it with her head, only she pushed the button and it sucked her in, making May blink in bewilderment.

"Uh…does that count?" She asked us and I nodded my head as the Pokéball pinged.

"Sure does. Congratulations May, you just caught a new Pokémon." I told her and May laughed out loud, picking up her new Pokéball then spun around in celebration.

"Alright! I just caught a new friend, and it's a Skitty!"

"Torchic Tor!" Torchic chirped and Beautifly trilled as they both celebrated with her, making me chuckle before I tapped the side of the pan loudly to signal the soup was ready. I'll admit, I'm nowhere near as good as Brock, but I wasn't terrible and at least it tasted good.

We spent the day there, training and practicing though May struggled to keep Skitty's attention, so I helped her teach Skitty the difference between a battle and playtime by battling with Jigglypuff, who wouldn't let Skitty stop paying attention for a single moment without getting a Double Slap for it.

Even Brock joined in with the battling, switching between pairs so that his Pokémon could all get in some practice and so that we could all be doing something useful, though Max was a little put out that he had to stick with watching, so I took him for a flight with Charizard, Latias and Taillow at sunset for an exciting end to the day with a promise that one day, he'll be old enough to capture his own Pokémon to fly all by himself.

So late that night, as we were all getting to bed, there were several yawns signalling how tired everyone was, however just before we could all close our eyes, the sound of music began to play. Music? All the way out here? Where's it coming from?

"Do you guys hear that?" May asked as we all sat up.

"Yeah I hear it. It's coming from over there." Max pointed and I turned to see the dark trees but nothing more. "Should we go check it out?"

"Well, I don't think we'll get much sleep unless we do, seeing as the music is pretty loud. Maybe we can go and ask whoever it is to turn it down a little." Brock suggested as he stood up, stretched then packed up his stuff to move out and everyone did the same. I stifled a yawn then pulled out a torch to shine the way, following the sound of music as it got louder and louder.

"It sounds like old music. Like something you'd play on a gramophone." Max noted as we made our way through the trees then stopped a cliff edge to gasp, seeing an entire village down at the bottom, some stairs literally just before our feet.

"Wow. What a weird place to put a town." Ash said as we all looked down, seeing the blocked up windows and faded paint of the houses and stores. It must be abandoned.

"Well, whoever put it here must agree with you, because they all got up and left!" May worried fearfully and just then, I began to feel this sensation of sadness and loneliness within me, pulling me down into the town so I began descending the steps. "Ruby! Where're you going? It's spooky down there!"

"I feel something. I don't think this place is totally abandoned. Who's playing the music?" I reasoned before turning around. "I'm going to find out. Anyone who wants to come with me is welcome." They all followed as I jumped down the last of the steps then began walking forwards, shining my torch around.

"You know, if this is a ghost town, do you reckon there are real ghosts here?" May asked, her teeth clattering together so Ash gave a light laugh.

"Come on May, there's nothing to be afraid of." He told her so she shot him a dark, frosty look.

"Easy for you to say." She answered haughtily before my flashlight shone on the entrance of a deep, dark tunnel.

"Wow! Check it out!" Max said and May instantly squeaked, hiding behind me and gripping onto my jacket.

"It looks like the entrance to a mine or something." Brock said as he looked up at the clouds, noticing how they were becoming dark and stormy. "Maybe we should duck in before the rain starts. We could rest here for a while." He suggested, seeing as the music had momentarily stopped. I stood at the entrance, looking inside and felt a great nudge of anger from inside. What could be angry? My answer came all too soon.

A pair of deep purplish red eyes glowed from within the chasm before a shadow moved forwards, floating off the ground with a jagged smirk which glared down at us as we all screamed. "AGH! IT'S A GHOST!" We ran away as fast as we could, though I grabbed Max and swung him on my back as he began to fall behind then streaked ahead, going straight for a door and let myself inside, turning to usher everyone else in before slamming the door shut behind them.

"Now _that_ , was scary! Let's get out of here as soon as the coast is clear." I advised before we all huddled in the corner of the room, shaking from both shock and cold. We waited a while until Ash suddenly started, something having spooked him.

"Did…did you guys hear that?" He questioned so I lifted my head.

"No, not a thing. What's wrong?" I asked him and he shivered.

"I thought I heard something." He told us all and May whimpered.

"Do you think it's the ghost again?" She shivered so I pulled out my blanket and wrapped both May and Max up warmly, the two of them huddling together as they shivered.

"Ash, you go look." Max told him and Ash jerked back.

"Me? Uh…right." He crawled over to the window then slowly lifted his head, peering out then sighed in relief when he didn't see anything. "Guys, it's starting to rain." He informed us and I heard the patter of raindrops falling all around us. "Now what?"

"Well we can't leave here now. I guess we'll just have to spend the night." Brock said and the siblings stared at him in horror and disbelief.

"Stay the night?!" They chorused one another so I stood up and smiled.

"Hey, there's nothing to worry about. We'll be fine as long as we're together." I assured them before pulling out my sleeping bag. "Goodnight everyone." I said, seeing as I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open.

I caught a precious hour or so before May startled us awake by shouting, making us all rouse from our own beauty sleep. "What's wrong May?" Ash and I groaned in similar tones.

"Bad dream?" Max questioned but then my ears perked up, hearing the music again.

"Hey, I think I can hear music!" Brock said as I stood up.

"Either that or we're all having the same dream." I said before walking towards the door it was coming from. "I'm going to check it out."

"Wait for us!" Max said as he hurriedly put on his glasses then scrambled out of his sleeping bag, both Ash and Brock following with May squealing behind us with fear.

"Don't leave me behind! I don't want to be alone!" So we all went together, following the sound of the music as it got louder and louder until finally, we found the door it was coming from within. Ash reached out and opened it a crack, pressing a finger to his lips to signal to remain quiet and we all looked inside.

My jaw dropped open as I saw a number of psychic Pokémon inside, including Alakazam, Kadabra, Drowzee, Hypno, and two Pokémon dancing on the table, one of which instantly grabbed my undivided attention as it twirled with sparkles dancing off its body, singing out softly. I believe it's called a Kirlia, the evolved form of Ralts. It's beautiful! I totally love it! And Ralts is pretty adorable too!

"They're all psychic Pokémon." Brock whispered quietly as we all craned our necks to see.

"With all that dancing it looks like they're having a ball." Ash agreed, speaking extra quietly too so that we didn't disturb the Pokémon.

"Guys! Look there! I can't believe Abra is sleeping through all of this!" Max said, noticing that tucked away in the corner sat an Abra, surrounded by its own Protect bubble and was fast asleep, completely oblivious to everything around it.

"I guess if you're tired enough you can sleep through anything." Amen to that.

"Guys come on! I want to see!" May pestered and pushed down on her heads, but upon losing her balance, May forced us all tumbling to the floor and I groaned as I was squashed at the bottom with Max, May and Ash all lumbered on top of me.

The Pokémon all whirled around and the music stopped, all of us just staring at one another until all at once the Pokémon all fled, crying out in alarm and slight fear as I struggled to get free. "No! Wait! Please don't go, we're not going to hurt you!"

"There's a switch, I think we scared them." May said with a light chuckle as I twisted my head around to glare at everyone.

"Would you mind? I'm not a cushion you know." I told them all so they got off me and I dusted myself off before we all moved instinctively towards the Abra surrounded with its protection bubble.

"Wow, Abra's still sleeping after all that?" Max questioned, moving closer to inspect the bubble as May touched her lip worriedly.

"I hope Abra is feeling alright."

"Weird, I don't think Abra hears a thing." Ash said then reached out to touch the bubble. Instantly he was shocked back by its deflect and he gave a yelp as he quickly whipped his hand back, inspecting it for a moment before looking back. "Boy, that packed a punch!"

"It's a Safeguard." Brock explained to us. "Abra must be using it to filter out any loud noises." Oh, and I thought it was Protect. Guess there's still lots to learn!

"Wow. Abra's doing that and sleeping at the same time?" Ash questioned and I nodded my head.

"Abra is a psychic Pokémon, which means it has pretty powerful mind control. Maybe Abra has one part of its mind sleeping whilst the other is keeping up its Safeguard." I suggested simply.

"I wonder what these psychic Pokémon are doing in the first place." May said pointedly to us all. Suddenly Max spotted something on the ground, leaning closer before reaching out under the sofa where Abra was sitting.

"What's that?" He pulled it out to reveal it to be a photograph in its frame, and although it was old you were still able to see exactly who was in the picture. "Oh! Those are all the psychic Pokémon that just ran away." Max said, counting off each one as I looked at the miner looking people that stood with them.

"Do you think those people must have used to live in this town?" May asked and I instantly began to feel a sense of tightness in my chest, a mix of sadness and anger. More abandoned Pokémon. It's just sickening.

"Now I get it! Looks to me those people were miners, and when the mine was active the psychic Pokémon must have helped them in their work." Brock told us and Max nodded his head.

"Of course! With their psychic abilities they would have been able to move huge rocks out of the way."

"I guess so, but what happened to all of them?" Ash asked just before the bubble around Abra began to glow with even more intensity, shining with a beautiful decoration of colours as all our mouths dropped open in awe. Suddenly a picture appeared of a truck being loaded with boxes and people piling them up.

"Maybe Abra's having a dream and we're seeing it." Brock said as we all fell silent to watch and listen. There was a man standing at the back of the truck with three boys and he looked sad but not remorseful like he should as he faced all the psychic Pokémon.

"We've got to go now. I'm so sorry but there's just no way we can take you all with us either. Take good care, goodbye!" He said just before the truck began to drive away, leaving all the Pokémon behind.

Except Abra tried to run after one of the boys, holding out his arms and gave the most heart wrenching cry I had ever heard, bringing tears to my eyes as I forced myself to look away. "No you can't come! Abra you've got to go back! Goodbye Abra, I'll miss you!" The boy wailed as I heard a thud which must have meant Abra had fallen over in its running.

When the light toned down I looked back to see the Abra crying quietly with a small, shaky whine. "I guess they all must have gotten left here." Max said as we all looked on with sad expressions.

"They must have been really lonesome with all the townspeople gone."

"I'll bet that's why they were dancing and singing when we got here." May noted and we all looked to the gramophone. "To cheer themselves up." We all stood in silence for a moment or two before Ash turned around and faced us all with a smile.

"Well, if it's cheering up they need then I know what we can do."

"We're right with you!" Brock nodded his head as May beamed.

"We'll throw them the biggest party they've ever seen!" May agreed and Ash laughed before punching the air.

"So come on! Let's get this party started!" I nodded my head then turned to Pikachu with a smile.

"Pikachu, you come with me. We'll try and get the lights running in this place, shall we?" I suggested and Pikachu leaped onto my shoulder, dipping his head once.

"Pika Pikachu." He agreed so we walked around, found the fuse box and with a bit of fiddling and a jolt from Pikachu, we got the lights up and running again, allowing plenty of light to flood the saloon we'd occupied so that we could see more easily. "Pikachu!" Pikachu squealed and I chuckled, rubbing his cheek gently.

"Yup, great work Pikachu. Let's go check on the others." When I got back it was to find a neatly set table with a fresh cloth and several bowls of Pokémon food with decorations of flowers from May which she had dared to rush outside to gather just for the psychic Pokémon.

"We are ready to party!" Ash said as Pikachu and I walked over to the gramophone.

"Not yet Ash, we don't have any music." I told him then put the needle back on the vinyl then wound it up until the music started to play. "Okay, now we're ready! Come on out everyone, this party is just for you!" I called out and everyone joined in.

"We've got tonnes of Pokémon food!"

"Come on, the party is starting without you!" Ash said and one of the doors opened, the Alakazam peering inside before opening the door wide open and the psychic Pokémon all poured in, cheering happily and I looked around to instantly fall in love with the Kirlia, who twirled beautifully sparkling as she turned before joining with the dance though I noticed the Ralts stayed behind the door, shyly peeping inside so I walked over.

"Hey there little guy, what's the matter?" I asked but the moment I got too close, Ralts whimpered and moved further back.

"Ralts…Ralts…"

"There's no need to be afraid." I told it, reaching out with a calm and warm aura that made it blink softly under its green hood. "We're your friends here, we just want to cheer you all up a bit, okay?" I said but just then the Kirlia danced back over to us. She grabbed my hand and Ralts's before pulling us towards the table where she and Ralts jumped up and she trilled happily, encouraging Ralts to dance.

"Kirlia, Kirlia, Kirlia Kirl…" She chanted softly as I laughed and took both her hands, twirling her around and danced with her and Ralts as the other Pokémon also really began to settle and enjoy themselves. Even Pikachu joined in with the dancing, partnering with Ralts who initially hid behind Kirlia when he got to close, but with a little ushering, Ralts came out of his shell then let the party spirit flow.

Suddenly the saloon door opened and a blushing Wobbuffet appeared, looking straight at Kirlia. "Wobbuffet!"

"Whoa, Wobbuffet." Ash said as we all blinked at the familiar Pokémon.

"I wonder if it's Team Rocket's." Max said as the Wobbuffet moved closer to Kirlia with dreamy eyes.

"Wobbu Wobbuffet…"

"Kirli?" Kirlia blinked as Wobbuffet trembled, still blushing bright red before he offered a pretty pale pink flower to Kirlia, making me smile.

"Aw! How romantic!" I squealed slightly as Kirlia also smiled.

"Kirlia! Kirli Kirlia!" She leaped elegantly off the table then took the flower acceptingly from Wobbuffet, smiling prettily at him and Wobbuffet did his own extraordinary dance in celebration as Kirlia took his gift happily.

"Awesome! You're right Ruby, how much more romantic can you get with a flower gift?" May said and I gave her a sneaky smirk.

"You mean like Drew and the rose?" I questioned and she instantly balked, staring at me in alarm.

"What do you mean? I don't know what you're talking about! I'd never…that would never…" I laughed lightly, assuring her that I was only messing around but secretly, I wondered. Maybe. Without warning the entire place began to tremble, making everyone cry out in alarm and grip onto something to keep steady.

"What's going on?!" Brock demanded and I gasped as Alakazam started to fall.

"Watch out!" I yelled and caught him, sitting him down on the floor then squeaked as I leaped for Drowzee and Hypno, keeping them upright and I darted around all the Pokémon, keeping them from either falling over and hurting themselves or even having the bookcase fall on top of Kadabra. "Look out!" I yelled then ploughed into Kadabra, tucking up into a roll as the bookcase crashed to the ground and splintered. "That was close." I said and Kadabra instantly flung his arms around me.

"Kadabra!" He thanked and I chuckled before my eyes went wide open, seeing Ralts teetering on the table top.

"Ralts!" I jerked forwards, Kadabra still in one arm as I reached out and caught Ralts in the other as he fell, holding his head in my hand and the rest of his body easily sat on my arm as I pulled him closer to me. "Hold on everyone, stay together!" I called, gently pulling Drowzee closer to the group. "And get outside! Max, where are you?"

"Over here!" He called, standing with May so I nodded my head.

"Right, everyone out!" I wanted to try and get Abra's attention, but seeing as it couldn't hear a thing, I figured it would be pretty fruitless and besides, that Safeguard will stop anything from hurting it. We all ran outside, Ralts now standing on my shoulder and holding onto my hat for support as we looked up at the midnight sky to see a massive purple figure twisting and convulsing before us until finally, it formed the image of a ghost.

"Hey that's the same ghost!" Max said as I stood with the Pokémon, all of them suddenly clinging to me in fear and I tried to comfort them all as best I could.

"Yeah but look how big it got!" Ash said and without warning, the hands shot out and grabbed all the psychic Pokémon, with me in the bunch! "No! Ruby!"

"Ash!" I screamed aloud as I was dragged towards the ghost's mouth then it swallowed me up along with everyone else, though when I hit the bottom, metal clanged and I groaned as suddenly, Pokémon piled on top of me, landing pretty heavily. "Ugh…" I jolted then took as much breath as I could. "Calm down everyone, it's alright." I said but then I heard Pikachu crying out for Ash before he and Kirlia were tossed down the chute with us. "Pikachu! Kirlia!" I called and leaped up, catching them both in my arms and they blinked at me. "Are you guys okay?"

"Pi Pikachu! Pika Pi!" Pikachu worried then quickly hugged me tightly, trembling slightly in fear at having been eaten by a ghost.

"Kirlia, Kirl Kirlia." Kirlia trembled also so I hugged them both, then sat down with all the Pokémon crowding around me.

"It's okay, I'll get us out of here." I said then pulled out my flashlight, shining the light around to find we were being kept in a large cage with only one opening, the bars in front and although through the wispy image of the ghost I could see Ash and the others, I don't think they could see me. "Hold on!" I said then ploughed my weight into the bars, trying to burst them open. "Just a minute longer, I'll get everyone out to safety, I promise." I said as I rammed my shoulder back in. "Pikachu, try Iron Tail!" I said and his tail began to glow.

"Pikachu! Pika!" He said determinedly but when his Iron Tail connected with the bars, they only snag out and vibrated with no effect whatsoever. If I knew this kind of set up, I'll bet Team Rocket were behind this and they'd obviously planned to reinforce the cage against Pikachu's Iron Tail and probably any electric attacks as well. "Pika?"

"Keep trying Pikachu, maybe we can weaken it somehow." I said then tried to kick out at it but instantly pain shot up my leg and I cried out, falling back as I gripped my foot and the Pokémon all crowded around me. "I'm okay." I assured them all but then suddenly, the cage around us began to rattle and shake so I clung Ralts, Kirlia and as many as the other Pokémon who held onto me close, clenching my eyes shut as I tried to absorb any hits we took until I heard Jessie's voice yell.

"Wobbuffet! You're clogging up the ghost!"

"Stop it!" James said and I frowned inwardly. What on earth is going on?

"You keep doing that and we're going to blow!" Meowth shouted until they all cried out, the ghost blowing out until finally, the guys could see us all behind the metal bars within the giant robot.

"Hey! Those are ghost Pokémon!" Max yelled and I blinked. Huh? It was just ghost Pokémon creating an illusion of the ghost? That's pretty clever actually, I'll have to remember about this. It could be a useful security method later. Now that things were still I crawled over to the bars and called out below.

"Ash! Ash get us out of here!"

"Ruby! Pikachu! Hang on you two, I'll get you out of there somehow!" Ash promised as Team Rocket began to laugh. I focused on the psychic Pokémon, all of them trembling and afraid so I smiled and turned to face them.

"Hey, it's okay. It's just these goons called Team Rocket but we've dealt with them loads of times before. We won't let any of them hurt you." I promised, reaching out and picked up Kirlia, holding her in my arms. "You guys have been through so much, being abandoned this way, but I promise you're not going to be alone anymore. Right Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" He agreed, nodding his head with a cute smile as Kirlia gazed up at me.

"You know, just out of town are some great woods and places to explore. If you would just leave this place and go out to see the world, you'll find all kinds of new friends and maybe even trainers who'd want to be your friends like me." I said but the other Pokémon all shook their heads. "You like this place don't you? It's been home to you for as long as you can remember." I said with a nod of understanding. "And you think that maybe, if you stayed here, one day your real trainers will come back for you."

"Alakazam." The powerful psychic Pokémon said, verifying all I had said. This was the hard bit, trying to get them to understand that their trainers weren't coming back.

"Look, guys…there isn't an easy way to say this, but I don't think they're coming back for you." I lowered my head in shame. "And I am so sorry that we humans have treated you this way, it's wrong and I'm going to do my best to stop any Pokémon being tossed away like some piece of rubbish, but right now all I worry about is you. It's got to be hard staying here with only one another, how do you find enough food to eat?" In answer their bellies rumbled, so I guessed they probably didn't eat very well.

"Pikachu…" Pikachu jumped up onto my shoulder and faced them all. "Pika Pika, Pikachu Pika Pi! Pikachu." He said but just then, Wobbuffet appeared at the bars and reached in a hand for Kirlia.

"Wobbuffet…"

"Kirlia?" She jumped out of my arms and we all crowded closer to see Wobbuffet looking with worry at Kirlia. Suddenly Wobbuffet wore a fierce expression and began to beat at the bars, trying to break them open.

"Wobbuffet? What are you doing?" I asked him curiously.

"Wobbu Wobbuffet!" He said whilst continuing his assault on the bars.

"You mean you like Kirlia? And you don't want to see her locked away like this?" I questioned then I looked down at Kirlia with a smile. "Looks like you've got yourself a very strong admirer." I told her and she looked at me with an open mouth of surprise before blushing slightly at Wobbuffet.

The bars remained firm and Kirlia lowered her head hopelessly, however Wobbuffet wasn't about to give up yet. He took a few steps back then with a low growl, charged at the bars. Uh oh. "Get back!" I yelled, sweeping all the Pokémon back and shielded them all the best I could as Wobbuffet connected with the bars and they shattered upon impact with his hard head, freeing the way for everyone.

Wobbuffet collapsed on the ground and I ushered the psychic Pokémon out, flinching though every time they just ran over Wobbuffet without a thought. Poor Wobbuffet. "Kirlia, let's go." I said but she stayed put, reaching towards Wobbuffet with concern.

"Kirlia?"

"Wobbuffet…" Slowly he sat up with a wide, goofy smile and both Kirlia and I both beamed brightly to see he was okay.

"Kirlia!"

"Way to go Wobbuffet!" I cheered and I hugged the blobby guy, just happy to be out of that stuffy cage.

"That's high treason!" James was saying from above.

"You said it Jimmy. Go get those twerps!" Meowth said and I gasped as the ghost Pokémon all charged forwards, using Shadow Ball together then flung it towards the retreating Pokémon. I gasped in fear however Kirlia suddenly wore a battle ready face, leaping forwards with grace and breath taking elegance as she spun around and faced the attack, a bright glow appearing before her until it burst out in a bright orb of electrifying blue, shimmering brightly before it took the ghost attack and held it off. With the dark purple of the Shadow Ball, I watched how the two colours mixed together in Kirlia's attack and instantly fell in love all over again. She's just amazing!

"Whoa! Kirlia is using Reflect!" Max said as everyone could only stop and stare.

"Incredible!" I'll say that again May, it is incredible! Finally Kirlia had stored enough power to fling back the attack and the ghost Pokémon all darted out of the way, allowing the attack to bypass them and strike the machine that I was still standing on so I quickly leaped off, falling to the ground head first and I gave a yell before preparing to roll, however I suddenly stopped mid air and I looked up to see all the psychic Pokémon either using Confusion or Psychic, keeping me from hitting the ground before they pulled me gently back to them.

"Ralts! Ralts!" Ralts leaped up into my arms and I laughed, giving him a hug before smiling softly to all the Pokémon.

"Thanks guys." They all chorused a 'you're welcome' before we all turned to see what was happening with the machine. It exploded with a huge bang and I instantly turned to shield the Pokémon from the blast, feeling it power against my back before Team Rocket were blasting off into the night sky, crying out their now typical exit anthem.

"We're blasting off again!" Never gets old. With a sigh I stepped back and looked over to the guys as Max and May ran over ahead of the others.

"Ruby! Are you okay?" Max asked with worry so I winked and gave him the thumbs up.

"I'm great little squirt, don't you worry." I assured him but then I noticed how the psychic Pokémon and ghost Pokémon were facing one another off, all of them angry at the other and I could feel their emotions and thoughts whirling around in my head through their auras, being able to interpret them. "Uh oh."

"Guys, cool it now!" Ash ordered but the Pokémon all sprang at one another, intent on a battle but then, at the same time, Kirlia and I leaped forwards and stood back to back, flinging out our arms to block the route as I faced the ghost Pokémon and Kirlia faced her friends.

"Enough!" I ordered then punched my fists together, shooting out my aura in an intense and commanding power that instantly calmed every Pokémon down, getting them to be in a reasonable state so that a negotiation could be opened up. "Fighting is not the answer, now all of you just calm down." I said, exhaling softly as the gang all rushed in to keep the Pokémon apart as well.

"You all live in the same town, can't you all just get along?" Ash asked but the Pokémon all argued back, throwing accusations and insults at one another.

"Amazing, the world is falling apart out here and Abra is still sleeping!" Brock noted how Abra was still in the same place as before, still protected by its own Safeguard. "Wait, that's it! Everyone listen to me! I have an idea." Brock said then turned to face us. "If Abra could expand its Safeguard around all the psychic Pokémon and their music, then the ghost Pokémon won't be able to hear a thing and they can all get some peace." Brock said and I turned to the psychic Pokémon.

"What do you say? Shall we give it a try?" I asked and they looked at one another before nodding their heads. "Great! One question. How do we wake up Abra?" I asked so Kirlia spun around in a pretty pirouette before closing her eyes and I felt a spark of power as she communicated telepathically with Abra.

Suddenly Abra woke up and his Safeguard disappeared. He blinked sleepily then got up, using Psychic to bring the gramophone and table with him so that there was enough room for a large Safeguard outside. "Hey Abra, you sure know how to sleep." I said to him and he stopped then turned to look up at me as I smiled. "I'm Ruby, it's nice to meet you."

"Abra…" He said before putting everything down. "Abra?"

"You missed all the action. Your friends were almost eaten up by a robot ghost but then a Wobbuffet who has a crush on Kirlia saved everyone before Kirlia blew up the robot. It was awesome." I said and he looked at me before he used Safeguard around all the Pokémon just as the sun began to rise. I stood in the bubble and looked as the music began to play, the Pokémon all began to dance.

I laughed and joined in, spinning around with Kirlia and danced with her as she smiled up at me, eyes glittering slightly as I continued to laugh but when I noticed Abra trying to get back to sleep, I pulled out a pair of ear plugs and put them in his ears, making him look up at me again. "There, now you shouldn't be able to hear a thing." I said to him, smiling before standing up. "I'd better go everyone. Just promise me that you're all okay here, I don't want to leave you all if you're going to feel abandoned again." I said and the Pokémon all crowded around me, showering me with hugs as I giggled.

They assured me that they were fine, that this was the place they wanted to stay so I nodded my head and stepped back. "In that case, I'll leave these maps with you." I said as I pulled it from my bag. "This one shows the entire region and all the towns, cities, forests and mountains, and this one shows this area in a closer range. We're here." I marked it for them as I circled it with a red pen. "If any of you get hurt or sick, you need to go to this Pokémon centre here and let Nurse Joy take care of you. She'll get you all back to health in no time." I explained, circling the closest Pokémon Centre which was a while away, but if the Pokémon could just teleport then it would be no problem.

"Alakazam." Alakazam nodded his head to me as I continued.

"And here is the forest where there are loads of berries and fruit growing everywhere. If you can just make your way up this path, you'll be there in no time at all so you should be okay for food, though in the winter I would advise you move a little closer to the Pokémon centre as you'll be able to find more food there, and this is a stream where you can get fresh water." I marked that too and drew a little line over the path they would need to take. "Alakazam, I'll put you in charge of this okay? I'm counting on you to take care of everyone." I said so he reached out and touched a finger to my head, instantly filling me with the sensation of peace and gratitude. He was trying to say thank you.

I smiled and stepped back, giving a wave and a sad smile before walking out of the Safeguard to see the gang and the ghost Pokémon. "Everything okay?" Brock asked and I nodded my head.

"All good. I'll miss them, and that Kirlia was so cute, she would have made a great contest Pokémon." I said sadly before sighing then turned to the ghost Pokémon, reaching out and rubbed Shuppet and Haunter's heads. "You all take care now okay? Don't get up to too much mischief." They laughed in answer before circling around me, chorusing their thanks for our help before shooting off back to their mine for some peace and quiet.

"Well, we've been up all night. How about we go find somewhere to camp out and just rest for today?" Ash suggested as Max yawned sleepily, struggling to stay awake so without a word I picked him up and settled him on my back to carry him as Brock took charge of May, who had also fallen asleep.

"Good idea." I said so we all headed out of the ghost town. We climbed the steps and walked back down the path to our sheltered spot and I put Max to bed in the shade, making a tent out of a branch and a large blanket to keep it dark and Brock put May in her sleeping bag beside him. "Night you two." I said before turning to see to my own bed.

"Kirlia!" I heard a voice call out and I turned with a blink to see Kirlia and Ralts running towards us, Kirlia holding Ralts's hand as they both waved to me. "Kirlia Kirl!"

"Ralts! Ralts! Ralts!"

"Huh? What are you two doing up here? Don't you want to be with your friends?" I questioned, dropping my sleeping bag to kneel down and face them. "Is something wrong?" They both shook their heads, smiling up at me though Ralts hid slightly behind Kirlia, still a little shy so Kirlia explained.

"Kirl Kirlia Kirl." She said then pointed to herself, Ralts and then to me. I get it, she wants to come along with me! And Ralts too!

"Really? You want me to be your trainers?" I questioned and they both nodded their heads, Ralts blushing slightly. "Wow! Thank you! I'm so happy you want to come with me on my journey. I promise, we'll have the greatest fun ever, and you'll always be taken care of." I said then pulled out two Pokéballs. Kirlia accepted hers straight away, however Ralts drew back, suddenly not too sure. "It's okay Ralts, there's nothing to be afraid of." I said as one of the Pokéballs pinged, signalling I had caught Kirlia. "Here, how about I give you a very special Pokéball? It's called a Friend Ball. I've been saving it to capture a very special Pokémon, and I think you're the perfect candidate." I said, switching my Pokéballs and instantly Ralts smiled, liking the look of this new Pokéball.

He inched closer and inspected it closely, glanced up at me then cheered. "Ralts!" With that he high fived the Pokéball and allowed himself to be caught, making me smile brightly before twirling around similarly to how Kirlia had danced.

"Alright! I just caught two new Pokémon! And they're Ralts and Kirlia!" I cheered as Brock chuckled.

"Congratulations Ruby, you deserve them. I'm sure Ash is happy for you too, but he's already asleep." He told me and sure enough, Ash was snoring loudly in his sleeping bag with Pikachu curled up with him, sound as sleep and drooling slightly so I gigged and nodded my head before finally getting some decent sleep.


	26. Chapter 26

With my new friends Ralts and Kirlia, I felt more than ready for my next contest. There was one in Falarbour Town, however I felt that I wasn't quite ready to perform yet with Kirlia, seeing as we'd only just started practicing together, so I was going to give this one a miss as well.

My real problem was Jigglypuff. She was quite insulted at how I'd now caught another Pokémon to perform with, however with a little bit of persuasion and clever wording, I managed to bring her around. "But Jigglypuff, someone like you can't be expected to perform _all_ the time, you're going to need plenty of rest so that when you do perform and battle, you'll always be in top condition." I had said to her, making her think carefully. "Besides, you can help me teach Kirlia how to deal with contests and put together a routine with us. I'm going to be relying on your experience to help us all."

"Puff? Jigglypuff." She finally conceded then tackled me with a hug which had made me laugh. When we got to the Pokémon contest, May was startled with how many Pokémon coordinators there were, looking around them all with wide eyes.

"So many…lovely…coordinators!" Brock said with bulging eyes, making Max and I look at him with unimpressed and blank expressions.

"Here we go again." We both chorused as May gulped.

"Uh oh. It looks like there's going to be some tough competition." She worried but then we noticed a trainer and her Pokémon meditating alone together, the Pokémon actually glowing and floating off the ground. "Look! That Pokémon…it's floating on air!" May gasped before drawing out her Pokédex.

"Medicham, the meditate Pokémon. Medicham is able to harness psychic powers through yoga. Being at one with nature, it can make itself vanish completely." That's pretty neat. It must be a fighting psychic dual type by its looks.

"Wow, what a mysterious Pokémon." May commented just as Max cried out and tried to leap up to catch his glasses as they floated off his nose.

"Hey what's…huh?" My hat lifted off my head and I tried to grab it but it floated out of reach as Ash's cap and Pikachu did the same along with many other bags and items, floating upwards with a glowing blueness around them.

"Medicham." The trainer of the Medicham said pointedly with her eyes still closed and the Pokémon opened its eyes and stopped glowing. Instantly everything fell back to the ground and I caught my hat as Ash landed his on his head then turned to catch Pikachu easily. "Are you okay Pikachu?"

"Pikachu." He assured Ash as the woman stood up.

"My most sincere apologies." She announced to everyone as they scrambled to collect their things again. "My Pokémon unconsciously unleashed a burst of psychic energy. Obviously it needs more training." She bowed her head and her Medicham bowed apologetically to us all.

"Not at all!" Brock said as he skidded on his knee towards her, holding up a hand dramatically as he gazed up at the lady. "Who's to say it's a lack in training? And anyway so what if a few of us got picked up and floated around it happens all the time would you like to have lunch with me?" Boy, he sure moves fast.

"That's enough." Max said as he grabbed Brock by the bottom of his shirt and jacket before dragging him away over the tiled floor. "She's here for a battle not a lunch date." He told Brock bluntly as I chuckled.

"Hi there, I'm so sorry about Brock, he has a habit of doing that every time he sees a beautiful girl." She told the Medicham trainer who turned around in surprise.

"Beautiful? You mean me?" She questioned and May nodded her head with a sweet smile.

"Of course!" She stared at May a moment before bursting into fits of laughter, clutching her stomach as she howled.

"Me Beautiful? Ha! Please…you're too much!" With that she thrust out an hand playfully at May but the force sent her flying backwards with a yell and slammed into Ash, who then slammed into me and we fell into a heap on the floor with me getting crushed at the bottom.

"Ash, you need to lay off the hamburgers." I winced as I lost my breath. "I can't breathe."

"Sorry Ruby." Ash said as he and May got up then they both helped me to stand as I felt my arms and legs slowly regain their sense of feeling.

"Of darn it, looks like I've done it again." The woman said with a smile before walking over to us. "I'm so sorry, I guess I forget my own strength." She told us before gesturing to herself. "My name is Grace, and this is my partner Medicham."

"Hi Grace I'm May, nice to meet you both." May introduced herself as I gave a way.

"I'm Ruby, hi there." I greeted and in turn, we all introduced ourselves before Grace smiled and made a good suggestion.

"Hey, how about we go eat something? I'm starved!" She said before ushering us all into the cafeteria. What surprised us, however, is how much Grace could eat. She surpassed Ash's ability to practically inhale food without question, eating five meals all to herself as she gulped them all down. "Isn't this great? Pokémon centre food is just the best!" She said and I looked to Brock as he sighed dreamily.

"Such a healthy appetite. With my cooking ability and her love of food to inspire me we'd make a perfect couple!" He said as he no doubt dreamed about cooking all sorts of amazing food for Grace whilst she giggled and ate it all. "And we'd eat happily ever after!"

"Enough." I said simply as I grabbed Brock's ear and gave it a firm tug, making him cry out. "You may be dreaming right now but this is _reality_ we live in." I told him as Ash decided to strike up a conversation.

"So Grace, I'm sure you must be a great trainer. Have you ever won any contests?" He asked and she spoke with a mouthful of food, though she mumbled so that we didn't see what exactly she was chewing up. She showed us her ribbon case which held three beautiful ribbons.

"Three of them already?" May gasped as she stared at them, everyone leaning closer.

"I'm planning to add a fourth one, if I could just win the Falarbour Contest, even though I know it isn't going to be easy." She said to us as Max turned to his big sister.

"Guess you're not the only one who's confident they're going to win." May's eyes went wide as she blushed deeply with an alarmed face.

"Who said I was sure about winning anything?!"

"You did, five minutes ago." May stood up and took a swing at her brother in her distress but I smartly hooked my feet around Max's and pulled him out of his seat, lowering his height so that May missed his head.

"Why do you always have to embarrass me?!" She wailed before slumping in her seat then calmed down. "The truth is Grace, this is only my second Pokémon contest ever." She revealed so Grace smiled cheerfully at May as Max slowly climbed back out, peering across the table before looking at me.

"Thanks Ruby."

"No problem squirt." I winked at him then drank a little of my milkshake as Grace reassured May.

"Hey, that doesn't have anything to do with it! It's not always the coordinator with the most experience who wins in a Pokémon contest you know. Who your opponent is has a lot to do with it and sometimes it's just luck." She told May before her face turned serious. "But the most important thing…the one thing that you have to remember above all else is that you'll never be able to win until you can use the power of your Pokémon completely." I sat up a little straighter. The power of our Pokémon? That makes total sense!

"There's so much I don't know…I can't believe I thought I was going to win." May said, disheartened as she lowered her head.

"Don't talk like that May." I told her firmly, giving a fierce look as she looked up at me. "Grace just said it's not the coordinator with the most experience who always wins, you've got to believe in yourself, because that holds the key to unlocking your full potential, and once you've done that, you can start on your Pokémon's." I told her, putting down my milkshake. "I've been holding off competing in any more contests for the moment because I know I'm not completely ready to show off my unique style of battling, because I'm still trying to figure out who I am as a coordinator and not a trainer. It's the exact same for you, but I think you've got a lot of natural talent that just needs to be focused and harnessed." Looking up I gave May a smile. "We believe in you, and so do your Pokémon. So what's the problem?"

May stared at me for a long while, thinking over everything in her head until finally, she clenched a fist and smiled determinedly. "You're right, it's not me I should be worrying about, I should be focusing on making my Pokémon look as beautifully appealing as possible. Thanks Grace, thanks Ruby. You guys are the greatest."

"Aw shucks, don't mention it!" Grace said with a snorting laughter which made me blink and lean away slightly as she flung out a hand, almost threatening to take my head with it. We spent the rest of the evening with Grace, who showed us a pretty awesome combination of Ice Punch and Psychic which began to inspire May.

The next morning I sat under the shade of a tree as she trained with Beautifly, trying to come up with the perfect combination for their performance. "Beautifly, Silver Wind!" May called and Beautifly started a beautiful stream of shining wind. "Combine Tackle!" She then ordered and I lifted my head, watching to see how this would play out but then May hastily changed her mind. "Wait, I meant Gust!" So Beautifly stopped and trilled as she made a Gust attack but then May changed her mind _again_. "No, make it String Shot!"

The String Shot got wrapped up in the Gust and backfired on Beautifly, tangling her in her own sticky silk and I sighed. Looks like we've got a lot of work to do before the contest. "Poor Beautifly." May said sadly as she looked up at Beautifly as she tried to escape.

"Nice work. Botched up combination huh?" No way, is that _Drew_? What's he doing here? I turned my head and decided to stay back and watch, letting May handle the punk. "No wonder, you're very indecisive." He informed May as he sniffed the rose he was holding.

"Drew?"

"Isn't that sweet, you even remember my name after all this time." He said a little sarcastically as he turned around. "Hi May." He drawled before tossing the rose to her which she caught as Beautifly fluttered down and landed on her head. Drew held up his forefinger and middle finger to waggle them at May as he turned his head. "Don't get your hopes up May, the only reason I came over here was to see Beautifly again." Oh really Drew? A likely story. I think you're hiding something.

"Then now you can go." May told him firmly as he flicked a hand through his fringe, his signature move.

"Huh. Anyhow, I don't suppose you've won any ribbons yet have you?" He asked and May flinched slightly before laughing nervously, blushing and turning away though she lifted the rose to her face to try and hide it. "Didn't think so. After that last display." He noted to her then began to walk away but May wasn't going to let him get off so easy.

"So how many ribbons do _you_ have mister perfect?" She demanded to know but Drew continued to smirk.

"Thought you'd never ask. At the rate I'm going, I'm going to need a new case soon." He held up his case and it flipped open to reveal three ribbons all to himself, making May gasp in surprise. "That nice yellow one there? I got that just a while ago. A coordinator with no ribbons doesn't stand a chance in a competition like this." He told her before walking away. That Drew, he's got some serious issues.

I walked over to May as she stood there, blinking dumbly after Drew as I looked up over to his retreating back. "If you want, I can go turn him into Pokéblock and feed him to Charizard?" I offered which instantly made May smile.

"No, it's okay. I can handle Drew. It's just…this combination. I'm not sure what to do. It's harder than I thought it would be to make something work together." She said so I sat down on the grass, pulled out some breakfast waffles and syrup I'd made up before May had come running out here and we ate together as I made a list of Beautifly's moves.

"Okay, so Beautifly knows Tackle, String Shot, Silver Wind and Gust. Together, they don't appear to be compatible but I think if we get the timing and the movement right, we can come up with something." I said to her then drew a line from Silver Wind to String Shot. "Now what you've got to try and imagine in your head is a way these two moves would look great together, and vice versa." I drew lines between Tackle and Gust before we started planning possible routines and combinations together on the grass.


	27. Chapter 28

May made it through the appeals round and was to face this rather attention prone coordinator called Jessica. In her appeals round, she'd dazzled everyone her Dustox who could apparently use a move called Rainbow, though I've never heard of it before.

She and May faced one another, though Jessica had scored herself a number of fans due to her beautiful performance where she practically upstaged her Dustox. They all cheered and clapped for Jessica as she stood in a sweeping ball gown against May, however when it came to Pokémon, there wasn't anyone who could upstage Beautifly for natural beauty and sparkle.

"Wow, this is going to be a great matchup." Ash said as I sat with Max on my lap to save seats, seeing as the stadium was full to the brim.

"A battle between two bug Pokémon, I can't wait to see May's strategy." He said as I gave him a little squeeze for a hug, chuckling as my arms wrapped firmly around him in excitement. I couldn't wait either, May looked so calm and confident, definitely not the same girl she had been in her first contest.

"Dustox, Tackle now!" Jessica called before spinning around with a gorgeous smile. "Rainbow!" Dustox flew straight for Beautifly who held her ground, focusing in on Dustox as May called out her countering move.

"Dodge it!" She decided and Beautifly flew up with speed then turned around to face Dustox again. "Use String Shot!"

"Whirlwind!" Jessica answered and Dustox created a beautiful seven coloured Whirlwind which snapped back the String Shot to hit Beautifly instead, sending her shooting backwards. I saw May gasp in worry as Vivien commented on the strength of the Whirlwind, but I wasn't focusing on Dustox. I was looking at how May reacted to losing points.

As Dustox aimed a rainbow Poison Sting at Beautifly, May countered swiftly and without fear with gust which knocked all the shards right back at Dustox, inflicting the attack on itself instead. Jessica growled, stomping a foot in anger before calling her next attack, Tackle.

May hit back with Silver Wind, Beautifly's wings staying aglow just as she had been practicing with May and Jessica lost major points for such a beautifully executed attack. "Yeah! May's doing great!" Ash cheered as Pikachu sat in his lap.

"Pikachu!"

"She's so calm and focused, this is great! Her training is really paying off." I agreed, nodding my head once with a smile as I continued to watch the battle. Jessica tried to finish things with Psybeam with added Rainbow, but something seemed to have gone wrong.

"Beautifly, finish this with Tackle!" For added effect, Beautifly spun into her Tackle, creating a spinning cyclone around her with the wind before powering into Dustox who slammed into its trainer, knocking them both out of the match as they lost the rest of their points.

May cheered and celebrated happily, overjoyed at having made it to the final stage but before she could leave, Jessica sat up and growled angrily. "Listen twerp, our battle is just begun!" Twerp? Just then her Dustox got back up and something fell from around its body, a little machine thing that sparked from being broken in the battle.

"That's where the seven colours came from!" Brock realised as everyone began to boo and hiss at Jessica.

"She cheated!" She got up and turned on the audience, angry that she'd been found out and even angrier that the crowd now hated her.

"Can it! You got a good show didn't you?" She demanded but then the contest director stood up and disqualified her from the contest completely, even though she'd already lost. In answer Jessica pulled out a yellow topped Pokéball and smashed it on the ground, creating a thick yellow smoke which surrounded her and everyone suddenly gasped. "Prepare for trouble what's happened is _us_."

"Making it double with all the fuss." James's voice answered as the smoke cleared away to reveal Team Rocket standing on stage, Meowth standing with them.

"That's right! Of course." Both Ash and I stood up, my arms still holding onto Max.

"Team Rocket!" We chorused together in answer as Pikachu leaped onto Ash's shoulder with a growl.

"As my prize, please…"

"All your Pokémon!" Jessie and James said as they held out their Pokéballs.

"We're taking them!" Meowth revealed and everyone gasped, staring at Team Rocket in fear.

"Oh no you're not, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash turned to Pikachu who nodded his head then leaped up into the air, glaring down at Team Rocket.

"Pika…CHUUUU!" Team Rocket were hit with Pikachu's Thunderbolt then blasted out of the stadium, no longer to bother us or ruin May's step up to the final round. "Pika!"

"Way to go Pikachu." Ash said with a smile before waving down at May. "Hey May! You're doing great!" She chuckled as she stood beside Vivien who presented her and Beautifly to the audience, who quickly recovered from the little incident to cheer loudly for May and Beautifly.

"That's a relief. For a moment there I thought Team Rocket was going to ruin everything." Max said as I sat back down with him again.

"Yeah, but that's the thing with Ash and Pikachu. You can always count on them to send Team Rocket flying." I said with a wink to Pikachu who beamed at me then licked my cheek affectionately, making me giggle before we turned to the stage again.

It was Drew against Grace, both of which looked really strong as did their Pokémon. I couldn't wait to see how this played out. As the battle kicked off, Max leaned forwards eagerly. "Roselia is a grass type and Medicham is a fighting type. This should be good, neither Pokémon have an advantage over the other, so it will be really tough to beat one another." Max said and I tilted my head to the side thoughtfully.

"True, but if you remember, Medicham can use Ice Punch, which will have a huge effect on a grass type like Roselia. Also, Medicham is a dual type with psychic attributes, which have a great effect on Roselia's other typing which is poison, so really, it's all against Drew in this battle. He'll have to make every move count if he wants to win." I explained to Max who blinked.

"Oh right, I didn't realise that." He said before turning back to the battle. Roselia was charging up a Solar Beam, Drew having been pushed to the point where he needed strength as well to overcome Medicham but then Grace told her Pokémon to use Ice Punch on the ground.

I watched in fascination as Medicham pummelled the ground with ice, covering it with a slippery surface before one final hit forced shards to jerk upwards, forming a collision course which reflected Roselia's Solar Beam, bouncing off each shard before it powered against her, turning back the attack. I see, so that was Grace's technique. She preferred to turn opponents attacks against them with her own Pokémon's attacks. Clever.

With a final High Jump Kick to the face, Roselia was knocked out of battle and all of us stared with wide eyes and open mouths. It had almost been too easy for Grace, she completely swept right through Drew and his Roselia without any problems at all. Remarkable.

So with the final round, I found myself tense and biting my lip as I clenched my fists on the seat rests, unable to take my eyes off May and Grace as they introduced their Pokémon to the battlefield. Suddenly I felt someone place their hand over mine and I looked at Ash who gave me a smile. "Relax. May's going to be fine." He said to me, working my hand open then let me grip his hand. "She's as stubborn as you and me, so there's no way she's not going to lose this one." He was right, but I just didn't tell him so. His genius head didn't need to get any bigger.

I exhaled and relaxed a little, holding Ash's hand for comfort as the battle kicked off. May started out with a perfect Tackle but Medicham dodged with Meditate, rising up into the air gracefully and Beautifly turned to face it.

Grace punched the air as she called for an Ice Punch but May then smartly countered with Gust, the flying type move doing major damage against Medicham's fighting attributes and I felt my pulse quickening, watching with growing anticipation as the crowd became more and more hooked on the battle.

Suddenly Medicham used Confusion on itself to stop it from hitting the ground with a solid impact and limited the number of points May lost for her successful attack. "That's totally not fair!" Max complained. "May deserved to get major points for that!"

"I know squirt, but its contest. No one is out there to lose." I said to him as I continued to hold onto Ash's hand for comfort. May can do this, she can totally do this. Beautifly next used String Shot, but with Medicham's Confusion, she was wrapped up in her own sticky silk and her movements were not limited, causing her to worry slightly and I mentally urged May to keep her cool for Beautifly's sake.

"Medicham, Ice Punch!" Grace smirked and Medicham sent a powerful Ice Punch at Beautifly which scored a direct hits, losing May a lot of points as Beautifly was then frozen in place. Uh oh. This is bad. This is very bad! I heard Ash grunt beside me and I realised how tightly I had been gripping his hand.

"Oh, sorry Ash." I said as I loosened my grip and he gave me a smile.

"Don't worry about it." He said before we both turned back to the stage.

"Beautifly, break free! You can do it!" May encouraged and Beautifly suddenly powered through the ice, breaking it all and caused herself to be surrounded by dazzling sparkles, making the entire audience awe with admiration.

"Let's finish this up Medicham, use Meditate and then High Jump Kick!" Grace decided and Medicham leaped into the air, meditating to focus its energy before powering down with a glowing foot.

"Dodge it now! Then use Silver Wind, let's go Beautifly!" May parried and Beautifly spiralled over the top, avoiding the blow then struck her opponent from behind with a beautiful Silver Wind and Medicham landed badly on the ground, injuring its leg and Max's eyes went wide.

"Whoa! What happened?"

"High Jump Kick inflicts damage on the user if it misses and with the double damage taken from Silver Wind, it's in bad shape." I explained to him. "That's why it's such a risky move to use, especially against a flying type like Beautifly." Guess Grace had forgotten that little detail.

"Here's our chance. Beautifly use Tackle!" She directed and Beautifly began to spin as she twirled. "Combine with String Shot!" Great choice May, just like we practiced.

"Awesome, May must have learned that by watching Grace." Ash said and I smirked.

"Of course, like I always tell her. There's never a moment to not be inspired." I said proudly as Medicham used confusion, stopping the String Shot and Beautifly though she continued to turn.

"Now Beautifly, Silver Wind!" With the momentum of spinning Beautifly pulled off an amazing silver tornado before combing with Tackle and Medicham took the double hit, wrapped up in Beautifly's String Shot as it lay on the ground. " _Now_ we can finish this. Beautifly, use Tackle!" May directed and Beautifly went spinning in for the blow.

"Don't think we're going to fall for that one twice. Medicham, dodge it!" Grace called and Medicham used its strength to break free of the String Shot wrap, however May was already moving on.

"Silver Wind!" Somehow Beautifly managed to make two twisting tornadoes that cut off Medicham from moving either left or right, keeping it held in place as both funnels held onto Medicham's hands and immobilised it. With a combined Tackle, Grace lost a lot of points with only a minute left to go.

"Oh boy, May's going to win! Come on clock, run out!" Max urged as I continued to watch with a smile, finally feeling relaxed enough to let go of Ash's hand. May seemed to have a handle on things. She went to head with Grace against Medicham's High Jump Kick with a Tackle, the clock running out of time fast.

The two collided in mid air and there was a collective gasp as everyone tried to see what had happened and who had been hurt, but then the buzzer sounded to signal the end of the battle. Longest five minutes of my life.

"Time's up! And who is the winner of today's contest?" Vivien asked as the scores revealed themselves. "It's May and her Beautifly!" May stood there in complete shock, unable to believe her ears before finally it clicked. She cheered and leaped up into the air before hugging her Beautifly before receiving her prize ribbon.

"Come on guys! Let's meet May outside!" I cheered, lifting Max up then began to run. "We have to congratulate her!" By the time she reached us, I could barely contain my excitement, laughing and sweeping her up into a hug as I danced around with her. "May! You did it! You totally owned that stage! How do you feel? Do you feel great? You should!" I said quickly and May laughed as she hugged me.

"I do feel great, I can't believe I've won my first ribbon!" She said as the boys all stood there calmly.

"You earned that ribbon May, congratulations." Ash said as Max beamed up at his big sister.

"We're all proud of you May."

"Great stuff! You and Beautifly really connected out there." Brock agreed but then another voice joined in.

"Well, you did it May." Of course it's Drew. Stupid punk, he'd better watch what he says or I'll stuff my sock in his mouth! "Of course, if you'd been battling me in the first round, things might have ended up a whole lot different." He said before tossing the rose he was holding up into the air and it somehow managed to land directly on top of May's badge case.

"I suppose this rose is for Beautifly, right?" May questioned and Drew gave a small smirk as he flicked a hand through his hair.

"Yeah. Something like that." I noticed how he'd taken off all the thorns from the rose's stem before giving it to May. Ahem, I mean Beautifly. Max didn't look impressed, placing his hands on his hips to glare after Drew.

"Hmph. That guy's still stuck up as ever." He noted and I chuckled before ruffling his hair and winking at him.

"I hear you squirt. Now, how about some ice cream and cake to celebrate?"


	28. Chapter 29

"Skitty, use Double Slap!"

"Kirlia, Magical Leaf!" I parried, smiling as the two Pokémon faced one another in a mock contest battle. Kirlia spun around in perfect balletic movements, sending out green leaves with their ridges glowing with different colours as Skitty surged forwards and used Double Slap to try and knock them out of the way.

Ralts lifted his head as he stood on my shoulder, watching the battle with interest. "Now Skitty, use Tackle!" Skitty charged forwards excitedly, moving quickly so I smirked to myself.

"Kirlia, use Teleport then Magical Leaf again!" I directed so Kirlia disappeared just as Skitty got into close range, avoiding the attack completely and Skitty looked around in confusion as May touched her lip.

"I don't know what else to do, what other attacks does Skitty know?" She questioned everyone who watched as Kirlia appeared then used Magical Leaf.

"Now Confusion!" The leaves began to glow with beautiful colours before beginning to spiral around Kirlia as she danced in the sky with them, chanting her name softly as Skitty leaped and tried to reach Kirlia and the leaves, seeing them as something to play with instead of battle against.

"No Skitty! You can't play now!" May said, gripping her head as she got flustered over what to do.

"Don't worry May, you can just look up Skitty's moves in your Pokédex." Brock said to her and I blinked. I didn't know you could do that. Wow.

"You can? Let's see…uh…Assist. Wonder what that does." May said then looked up at Skitty. "Skitty, use Assist!" Suddenly Skitty's front paw began to glow and a gust of wind shot up at Kirlia, knocking her out of the sky and my eyes widened. That was Gust! What happened there? "What…just happened?"

"May, Assist is a move that takes one of the learned moves from one of your other Pokémon." Max called out to his sister and she blinked.

"Really? That's so cool! Okay Skitty, use Assist again!"

"Hold still Kirlia. Let's see what happens first." I said and Kirlia nodded her head, trusting me to wait where she was. Suddenly Torchic's Ember appeared, shooting towards Kirlia and Ralts gasped in fear for his friend but I was already on the move. "Great, use Confusion then combine with Magical Leaf!"

"Kirlia! Kiiiiirliiiia!" Kirlia trilled as she caught the Ember attack and the flames began to dance around her as she twirled, combining with Magical Leaf to make a beautiful effect, even making May stare wide eyed with a smile as Kirlia danced before sending the leaves and flames back at Skitty, the two combining at the last minute to set the leaves on fire before throwing Skitty backwards. "Kirlia."

"Great job Kirlia, that was an excellent combination." I said to her with a nod of my head. "Now, Heal Pulse!" Kirlia closed her eyes and a pulse of pinkish purple light burst out of her in staggered waves, shooting towards Skitty to heal her but then I decided to finish with a bang. "Now add Confusion!"

The rings began to glow and Kirlia rose up into the air, dancing still as she sang and her Heal Pulse gathered around her, shining like an aura before it separated into a billowing cloak of sparkles which fell to the ground around her as she descended, curtseying with me as Skitty chased all the sparkles she could see. "Wow, that was amazing! I can't wait to see Kirlia in contest." May said as she clapped her hands together. "That was just beautiful!"

"Kirlia." Kirlia bowed her head modestly to May as I knelt down and lifted her up, smiling as she looked up at me then touched my face with one hand.

"We've been working hard, haven't we Kirlia? I think we're finally ready for our next contest." I said as I walked over to May who held her Skitty. "I think Ralts still needs to grow and train a little more though, he's still very shy." I said as Ralts hid under my hat as we got closer to May, whimpering slightly.

"Aw it's okay Ralts, I'm not going to hurt you." May said as she reached out but then Ralts started to cry, wailing loudly and May jerked back her hand. "Oh no, not again!" I sighed slightly then put on a smile, taking Ralts off my shoulder as Kirlia jumped down for me and I cradled him as he clung to my jacket.

"There, there, it's alright. It's only May. You know May, don't you Ralts? May's nice and so is everyone else. We're all your friends here." I said but Ralts clung to me and wouldn't let go. "Well, looks like we're stuck like this for now." I said as May gave me an apologetic look.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten Ralts."

"I know, he's just…a little overemotional I guess." I said. "He doesn't like scary things, which include the dark, loud noises, big people, sudden movements, strangers, strange Pokémon, battling against another Pokémon and heights." I recited, having learned about them all from experience. "And the list is still growing." I said as we walked over to the others for some lunch. "But Ralts is okay other than that, right Ralts?" I questioned and tickled his belly, making him kick out and laugh before anchoring a hug back around my neck.

I somehow managed to get him off, mainly thanks to Kirlia who sat him beside her then helped him to eat his lunch. Glancing at the two, I could tell that Ralts really admired Kirlia, maybe even had a few feelings for her but Kirlia only saw Ralts as something like a little brother, being he was a lot younger than her. Maybe when Ralts has grown up a bit, she might see him in a different light.

"Hey Ruby, didn't you tell us that one of your Pokémon had two eggs they were hatching?" Max asked me and I nodded my head.

"Yeah, my Vaporeon. I've been receiving updates from Professor Oak and he says that Vaporeon and Umbreon are looking after them very well. They haven't hatched yet, but he's promised to let me know when he thinks it's close to being time." I gave a soft sigh, looking upwards. "I feel kind of bad that I won't be there to see them hatch. They're Vaporeon's first babies."

"I bet they'll be the cutest little things ever!" May declared with a smile. "I'd love to see an egg hatch, it must be so exciting waiting to see what kind of Pokémon it'll be." Ash nodded his head.

"Yeah, it's great! We've hatched few eggs during our travels, haven't we Brock? Remember Phanphy, and Larvitar?" He questioned and Brock nodded his head.

"Togepi too. Remember how we all fought over who got Togepi and it turned out Togepi had decided on Misty all on its own?" He said and we all laughed.

"Of course, we can't forget Latias. I raised her from an egg all by myself and now she's grown into a strong Pokémon." I said, picking up her Pokéball. "We should do more training after lunch with all our Pokémon. It'll be good practice for our next contest and Ash's next battle. The Lavaridge Town gym leader uses fire types, right? So Ash, you can battle against Charizard for some practice." I told him and he punched the air.

"Alright! Sounds great Ruby, thanks." He said before chowing down on two sandwiches at once. "Better…store up…my strength…" He mumbled into his food so I whacked him on the back of his head, sending his head flying down into his food.

"Choke on that, genius." I told him as the others all laughed, including Ash as he rubbed the back of his head guiltily.

"Sorry, forgot my manners." He excused but I merely punched him playfully on the arm.

"You never had any manners to begin with, so don't worry about it." I winked at him before turning back to my food. We ate up, cleaned up then relaxed a little before starting our battling. Ash went first up against May with Torchic, choosing his Corphish and they battled pretty well, May focussing on dodging attacks rather than powering against Corphish whilst I trained against Forretress with Latias, working on our Psychic attack.

The other Pokémon trained by themselves as they waited for their turn, sparring against one another and practicing moves until it was time for a switchover. I faced Ash and Pikachu with Charizard for a hot, full on battle which almost burnt the ground to cinders, until finally Brock called it a draw as neither Pokémon were giving in.

I hugged Charizard proudly as he beamed, roaring up at the sky and Ralts instantly cried out then burst into tears, causing everyone to stop and look at him as Kirlia hurried to comfort him with a hug and I lifted them both up. "Hey, it's okay. Charizard isn't that scary." I said but Ralts wasn't hearing any of it. "Tell you what, how about you battle against Skitty for a while? We can practice some of your moves, okay?" I suggested and Ralts stopped crying, blinking before nodding his head with a smile, willing to give it ago.

"Kirlia!" Kirlia praised proudly then stood at my side as we faced May and her Skitty.

"Okay Skitty, let's start off with Tackle!" She called and Skitty charged forwards.

"Double Team!" I tried but Ralts froze in place, hands stuck in his mouth before finally he burst out crying again in fear, running to hide behind me as Skitty ploughed into me instead, however she bounced right off as I held my ground. "Ralts, I said Double Team!" I said with a sigh, placing my hands on my hips. "You would have been fine if you'd just listened, that way Skitty wouldn't have known where you were. Shall we try again?" I offered but Ralts shook his head and clung to my leg tightly, still crying as Kirlia sighed and shook her head the same time I did. "Well, guess that means you and I will need to do some private training from now on." I said before looking at Skitty. "I'm sorry Skitty, that was a really great Tackle, I should know!"

"That's okay, I'm sorry we frightened Ralts again." May said to me as I held Ralts in my arms, Jigglypuff jumping up onto my shoulder then began to use Sing, hushing Ralts until he was fast asleep and no longer crying.

"Thanks Jigglypuff, you're a star." I winked at her before smiling at May. "It's okay. I guess he's just not used to this kind of life." I said as I carried him over to our stuff then placed him down with his head on my bag for a comfortable rest then placed the blanket over him. "You'll be okay Ralts, one day you'll grow big and strong just like Charizard, as tough as Jigglypuff, as fast as Latias and as skilled as Kirlia, and I'll be there every step of the way to help you." I promised before leaving him be, though Kirlia gave me a smile and stayed beside him.

I reached out and rubbed her head, giving her a wink before leaving them be to carry on with our training. I even let Max call out some attacks with Latias, which just about made his day as Latias battled against Beautifly.

We spent the entire day training before finally, we all crashed out at sunset, completely exhausted with the Pokémon all out for company. They huddled together next to Charizard, who provided them warmth and shelter whilst not being bothered by the wind himself but at around midnight, I felt a sense of something missing wake me up.

I looked around but saw everyone here around me, Max, May, Brock and Ash, so I got up and walked over to the Pokémon. My eyes widened when I saw that Ralts was missing. Quickly I looked around, about to call out and raise the alarm but then I heard the sound of humming and a little voice murmuring with it. Was that Ralts?

"Kirlia?" Kirlia woke up then stood, blinking in the moonlight before looking to me. "Kirlia, Kirlia!"

"Ssh…" I hushed, pressing a finger to my lips then gestured for her to follow me. She leaped gracefully over Charizard's tail then followed me as I walked over to the trees and followed the sound of humming.

Finally I found a clearing where Ralts was training by himself, concentrating deeply as he tried to use Double Team. He managed to be faced enough to create one, two, three copies of himself before they all disappeared. "Kirli?" Kirlia blinked before smiling.

"Looks like Ralts took me seriously about private training." I whispered to her as we both crouched down, watching to see what Ralts would do. He tried again, leaping from trunk to trunk with determination to try and use Double Team but still with same effect.

"Ralts!" He cried out in despair then hung his head, crying quietly to himself so I nodded to Kirlia and we both stepped out.

"You know, it's much easier if you don't try to move so far when using Double Team." I said to Ralts and he spun around to see us both standing there, smiling warmly at him. "Your speed is incredible, but Double Team won't work if you try to cross from one side of the clearing to the other. It's just not quite possible yet." I said as I knelt down on the earthy ground.

"Ralts?"

"Uh huh, try again, only this time, try stay inside this circle." I advised, picking up a stick then drew a circle around Ralts with enough space to move. "Then once you've nailed that, you can start making your distance bigger." I told him before stepping back and Kirlia gave an encouraging nod of her head.

"Kirlia."

"Ralts?" Ralts stared at us with an open mouth before nodding his head in return. "Ralts!" He shot forwards and created several copies of himself, all of them standing around in the circle as he himself disappeared, me unable to tell the difference between them all. "Ralts!" The all cheered and I beamed.

"Great! You see? It's just practice and starting small, gradually working up to making things big." I told him and Ralts ran to me, cheering happily then leaped into my arms with tears of happiness. "I'm here for you now Ralts, okay? You're not meant to do things alone, friends are here to help you. Right Kirlia?"

"Kirlia Kirl." She agreed with a nod of her head, jumping up to kneel on my shoulder with perfect balance.

"Are you tired Ralts?" I asked but Ralts shook his head excitedly. "I guess not, not since that long nap you had this afternoon." I chuckled before standing up. "Okay, then let's try Double Team one more time!" I directed and Ralts instantly tested his move. We practiced until he could successfully maintain the copies of himself before spreading them out, widening his movement space as Kirlia chased him, keeping up to urge him on and help practice.

We went through the woods in our training, helping Ralts learn to Teleport from one place to another before we found a large log lying flat over a deep drop, which Ralts instantly squeaked and began to cry at, leaping back to grip onto my leg but I gently lifted him forwards. "It's alright Ralts, there's no need to be afraid. Now that you can use Teleport, you can just rescue yourself if you fall off and go back to the top again." I told him. "I'm not afraid, and I can't do any moves like you can, I'm just a human. Watch." I said then spread my arms to walk across the log which I could only see because of the moonlight. "See? It's easy. I've got bigger, clumsier feet than you do. It's great for practicing balance."

"Kirlia!" Kirlia leaped forwards then spun on the log, stopping to hold out her hand for Ralts who watched us with one hand in his mouth before slowly stepping forwards. He spread out his little arms to balance and Kirlia teleported behind him to help balance until finally, he was across the log.

"Yeah!" I cheered, picking Ralts up and tossed him gently into the air to catch him again. "You did it Ralts! I knew you could. Come on! Let's see what else we can try out." I said and by the time we got back to the camp at around three in the morning, Ralts could successfully use Teleport, Double Team and sometimes manage a Confusion though we were still working on that. He had a habit of managing to blow me back with his yet uncontrolled force so I was a little bruised, but otherwise okay. All that mattered was Ralts had gained a little confidence.

I'd just settled down back in my blanket when I noticed someone was wriggling into my comfy covers with me, making my groan slightly before Ralts's head popped up. "Hey Ralts. You want a cuddle?" I questioned and he nodded his head with a sleepy yawn at the same time I yawned with a stretch, smiling sleepily as I placed an arm around him. "Kay. Go to sleep now."

"Ralts…" He whispered so I smiled a little more.

"Love you too."


	29. Chapter 30

Ever since Ash woke up it was shovelling down his breakfast then off running, barely leaving any time for us to catch up. Guess he really wanted to get to the cable car that would take us up over the mountain to Lavaridge town.

"Guys hurry up! We're going to miss the cable car!" Ash called back to us as we all ran after him.

"Wait! We're coming!" Max yelled as he struggled to keep up so I grabbed him as I ran past, swinging him up onto my back as he yelled then laughed. "Thanks Ruby, guess I'm not as fast as you guys."

"No problem squirt." I said as we all ran into the cart station and straight onto the first cable car where Ash instantly sat down and everyone else struggled for breath.

"We made it. Just in time."

"Pikachu." The other three, however, still hadn't quite caught their breath.

"Feels like I've just ran a marathon." Max said and I chuckled quietly, considering how I'd carried him the last few hundred metres to the car just so he wouldn't get left behind.

"Being chased by Beedrill." May agreed as Ash looked at them with an amused face.

"You guys are out of shape." He noted to them all as I leaned against the car, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Excuse me?"

"Agh! I mean, not _all_ of you, obviously." He waved his hands quickly, backtracking his choice of words so I nodded my head, satisfied. Suddenly I heard three voices yelling to hold the cart and three more passengers jumped on board just as the doors closed. They were sure cutting it close.

The cable cart lifted off and we instantly plastered our faces to the windows to see everything we could, from the forest at the base to Mt Chimney as we began to ascend it. Just as I was really getting into the relaxing pace of our ride, the woman who'd caught the cable car with us clapped her hands.

"Everyone, everyone please gather around me now so that we can get started!" She trilled brightly and we all turned confused looks at her. "We're the official tour guide crew for this cable car to make sure you get the most out of your Mt Chimney trip!"

"Tour guide crew?" May repeated in bewilderment as the guy companion leaped forwards and stooped down to her height in a condescending manner.

"That's right little girl. You can ask us anything! We'll share all the sights and sounds there are to be seen…and heard!" He added quickly at the end but Max was quick to shoot them down in flames.

"We didn't order anything like that." He said so I turned around and ignored them, despite them saying their services were free. Maybe I should have just flown up the mountain with Charizard, he'd like it here with all the hot rocks and great views. Not to mention the volcano.

Suddenly a high tech looking helicopter flew past with a bright red paintwork on its body, flying past us in the car then head up the mountain, making me blink in surprise before frowning slightly. I wonder who that could have been. I haven't seen a chopper like that around before, it's not your ordinary police helicopter anyway.

Not too long after seeing the first one, another chopper appeared but this time blue in colour, heading for the same point as the other one. What's going on today? "They're all heading to the mountain top."

"Something's going on up there." Brock said and I took a deep breath.

"I'll try to scope it out." I said then closed my eyes, gripping the side as I tried to reach out with aura. I didn't get very far, unable to reach the mountain as we were still too far down the mountain. "Or…maybe not. Whoa!" Suddenly the car stopped and we were suspended in the air, stuck on the rails.

"We've stopped!" May squeaked in alarm and instantly gripped onto me tightly.

"The view's great and all but enough is enough." Max said as Brock turned around to face the pretty useless tour guides.

"Excuse me, do you have a cell phone?" He questioned but the woman just glared at him.

"What do I look like? A cable car engineer? I'm a tour guide!" But Brock had noticed the emergency phone on the wall and hurried over to it.

"That's fine, we'll use this instead." He said then waited for an answer as he pressed dial, but he just stood there without receiving an answer. "Except no one's picking up the other side." He said as he looked at us.

"That's not good." Ash noted blankly as we all stood in a group.

"Maybe they'll just send someone out here?" Max suggested hopefully as May bit on her knuckles.

"Not unless no one knows we're up here and we're trapped!" She said in a high pitched voice so I kicked back and relaxed on one of the seats as the tour guide lady grabbed the phone from Brock.

"Pick up right now! Someone answer me! Do you know who I am? Pick up right _now_!" She banged her fist several times on the phone holder as she spoke, ending with a bright puff of smoke and a bang as she broke it.

"Cool it everyone, there's no problem. Worse comes to the worse, we can fly out of here on Charizard and Latias. They're both strong enough to carry us all." I said with a shrug. "But we'll wait for a while, just in case." I said however the lady wasn't so reassured.

"I don't know how to get off of this thing! Let me out!" She shrieked and we all frowned at her.

"Hey, but aren't you the tour guide?" Max questioned her.

"Yeah, aren't you trained for this sort of thing?" May asked her but Brock was beginning to realise how something just wasn't adding up about those three.

"Something's not quite right here."

"Who are you?" Ash demanded to know and the woman turned to face us with a glare.

"Glad you asked. Prepare for trouble on a scenic tour!"

"And make it trouble that's for sure!" Her companion added as my eyes widened. No! Not this, not again! Let me out of here! Let me out of here!

"Stop!" The little grandpa, who I guess must be Meowth, shouted and we all looked down at him. "Do we gotta do the routine every time? I'm an old woman and I'm tired." He complained though we now all knew exactly who these supposed _tour guides_ are.

"Wait a minute…" Ash said as Team Rocket whipped off their disguises to reveal their uniforms underneath. As they began to go through their motto, I turned around and pulled everyone closer to huddle.

"Okay, so maybe help isn't coming." I said and May began to tremble.

"What do we do? We're going to be stuck up here forever!"

"Cool it May!" I told her sharply before giving her a friendly smile. "This isn't a time to panic." She gulped then nodded her head, signalling she was listening.

"Any ideas Ash?" Brock asked him as he scratched his head.

"Well, first we've got to get down from here." He said as Jessie pouted at us in irritation.

"Hey! Pay attention! We're trying to make evil threats over here!"

"Yeah! We're the bad guys!" Meowth agreed.

"Show some respect!" But Ash merely turned a glare at them all.

"Hey, you're trapped up here just like we are so why don't you save it?!" He suggested and the trio blinked in surprise.

"Besides, having a battle with you three will only send the entire cable car crashing straight down to the ground." Brock informed them and they instantly took a couple of steps back, realising their near mistake.

"Well, looks like flying is our only option." I said then glared at Team Rocket. "I suppose we'll have to rescue _you_ three as well, unless you'd rather just stay stuck up here."

"No! No flying's fine, just please twerp, get us down from here!" Jessie pleaded as the three of them dropped down to their knees and began to grovel at my feet, making me purse my lips slightly. I could get used to this.

"Alright. Everyone stay here, I'll climb out the roof and call out Charizard and Latias, then we'll fly to Lavaridge Town. Brock, you take May and Max on Charizard, he'll carry you on his back. Team Rocket, if you're lucky he might agree to let you tag along. Just wait here." I said as I stood up on one of the seats, opened the hatch then jumped up, grabbing on to then pull myself up and out.

The wind was intense so I gripped my hat down on my head as I knelt on the roof, feeling my heart pound slightly as I pulled out my first Pokéball. "Go Charizard! We need your help!" I called and he instantly appeared with a flap of his wings, taking in the situation then growled softly. "We're fine, but you'll have to fly the others over to Lavaridge where it's safe, okay? Max! You come up first." I called down and offered my hand as Brock lifted him up to me.

"Whoa! This is high. This is really high! I don't like it, I want to go back down!" Max wailed, tears stinging his eyes as he then clung onto me, hiding his face but I gently pushed him towards Charizard.

"Max! Do you trust me?" I yelled over the wind and he pulled back to look at me, fear stretching across his entire face before he swallowed then nodded. "Okay, just close your eyes and I'll look after you. I promise." Max slowly closed his eyes so I stood up, gripping onto the cable of the car then with one hand, flung him towards Charizard.

He yelled in fear, eyes tightly pressed shut but then Charizard caught him in his hands easily, giving a warm and gentle smile at Max as he slowly opened his eyes then sighed with relief. "May! You next." May was similar to her brother, almost refusing to let go so in the end I just shoved her over the side and let Charizard catch her. "Sorry May!" I called down as she landed on Charizard's shoulders safely, holding onto his neck for balance before pulling her brother up to sit in front of her. "Brock, now you."

"Hey! What about us?!" Jessie demanded.

"You can't just leave us here!" James yelled up at me so I glared as I helped Brock through.

"If you're not careful, I _will_ just leave you here. Ash, climb up, then help me get these losers out of there."

"Got it." He said. "Come on Pikachu, let's go." Charizard waited patiently as the last of us climbed up and Team Rocket clung to one another, trembling in fear.

"I'm scared! I want to go back down _right now_!" Jessie screamed over the wind and I rolled my eyes.

"Fine by me!" I told her then kicked them all over the edge, making them scream and yell before Charizard swooped down and caught them, snarling slightly then huffed before flying off over the mountain. "Latias, let's go!" I called then the moment she appeared, jumped on with Ash so that we could follow.

"Wait, let's see what those helicopters were going!" Ash yelled over the wind and I turned my head slightly to listen. "Something tells me it's nothing good!"

"You're right. Latias! Head towards the mountain top!" I called and she instantly banked, heading upwards, following the mountain slope. As we ascended and rose up, we all noticed a man running down as fast as he could, being chased by a bunch of strange guys wearing red uniforms. "I don't know what's going on, but let's help out." I said to Latias. "So Latias, use Psychic!" I ordered and Latias's eyes instantly began to glow as she called out.

The ground ripped up in front of the members in red, rocks glowing blue around their surfaces before they ploughed into the gang members. "And pick up that guy there, maybe he needs help." I pointed and Latias nodded her head before diving down.

"La!" She cheered then grabbed the guy under the arms, lifting him up and he cried out in fear, tensing and clutching the rock he held in his arms.

"Hey! Don't worry, we're here to help!" I told him with a smile, leaning to the side as he turned his head to look at me. "I'm Ruby!"

"And I'm Ash!"

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu greeted, making the researcher blink before sighing with relief.

"Ruby, those guys were Team Magma, remember the ruins of Oldale?" Ash said to me and instantly I remembered. He's right! There are two teams of evil in this region, Team Magma and Team Aqua. Guess those guys are up to no good again.

"Latias, land over there." I pointed to a bunch of rocks as she flew us around the mountain. "We can take cover there for a moment before figuring out something to stop Team Magma from causing trouble."

"Latias." Latias nodded her head then banked towards the thick cluster of rocks, letting us all down and the researcher instantly fell to his knees with a loud groan, exhausted from all his running.

"Boy am I sure glad that's over." He said as I jumped down off of Latias.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. If Team Magma are up to no good, then you can be sure they're not leaving without that." I pointed to the rock that the researcher was holding. "Which is what I'm guessing those guys were chasing you for. What is it?"

"It's a meteorite." He informed us and both Ash and I gasped, mouths dropping open.

"No way! That's a meteorite?" Ash leaned in for closer look.

"Yup. I'm Professor Cosmo, I study meteorites and their properties to learn as much as I can about them." He told us proudly, pushing his glasses further up his nose. I've been studying asteroids and meteorites for years now, but I'm obviously not the only one who wants it." I scratched my head thoughtfully.

"Why'd Team Magma want some old space rock?" I questioned. "They make no sense at all."

"Maybe it has some sort of power they can use for bad." Ash suggested but Cosmo just looked intently down at the meteorite.

"I just don't know Ash. All I want is to study it." He said.

"Wow…you know, I've never touched something from space!" Ash said so Cosmo smiled.

"Here's your chance." He said and handed it over to Ash who took it with a smile then inspected it closely as I lay a hand on it.

"How come it's so heavy?" He asked Cosmo, looking up at him but he didn't have the answer.

"Good question. The universe is chock full of mysteries and questions. There are still so many things we don't know about the universe, but I don't know where to start. I guess I chose to study meteorites and asteroids because they're one of the few things from space that we can actually touch with our hands." Suddenly a Golbat flew down and grabbed the meteorite from Ash's hands, making us all gasp and Latias instantly glared menacingly, ruffling her feathers in anger as Team Magma stole the meteorite.

"Hey! That doesn't belong to you, it belongs to Professor Cosmo!" I yelled up at them but they didn't answer.

"What shall we do with them?" One of the members questioned but their group leader just waved a dismissive hand.

"Leave them. Let's go!" With that they ran away and Latias made to chase after them but I held out an arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Wait, I want to know _exactly_ what their plan is. They've got to need that meteorite for something." Latias nodded her head then let me climb back up. "Ash, Cosmo?"

"Right behind you Ruby." Ash said so I held out a hand and he gripped it tightly, allowing me to swing him up.

"Hey! What about me?" Professor Cosmo called as Latias rose up into the air slightly, gaining some elevation to fly around the mountain.

"Don't worry Professor Cosmo, we haven't forgotten you." I said to him and without another word, Latias flew forwards and scooped up Professor Cosmo, flying up into the air before shooting onwards, following after where Team Magma had run off to.

Latias kept low to the ground, flying from rock to rock so that we remained well hidden, but the moment we were close enough we all jumped off then crowded behind a rock as Latias disappeared, turning invisible as we watched a red beam being blasted down into the lava.

"What's that?"

"It looks like they're aiming a laser down at the lava flow at the mouth of the volcano."

"A volcano?" Ash yelped in shock.

"It's dormant at the moment but they could be trying to make it active again, and I bet they've found a way to use that meteorite as their detonator." Professor Cosmo explained to us both as I peered up a little over the rock to see better.

"Why would they do that?" Ash asked, looking to the professor.

"I don't know Ash. But if we don't stop this, that lava will come rushing out." Cosmo told us so Ash's face became determined and focused.

"Well then, what we need to do is steal back that meteorite." He said and I nodded my head.

"Right. Latias, you go with Professor Cosmo to create a distraction whilst remaining hidden whilst Ash and I get to the laser. We'll get back the meteorite professor, we promise." I said and everyone nodded their heads.

"Right." Ash and I crept forwards, keeping low to the ground as we got ourselves closer. "Okay, you ready Ruby?" Ash whispered to me and I nodded my head.

"Ready." I assured him as I looked up at the top. Suddenly Professor Cosmo appeared, throwing stones at Team Magma as they operated the laser and draw some of them away until rocks began to shift from above, forcing the others to move and check out what had disturbed them. "Okay, let's go Ash." I said then moved forwards, crawling before getting up and running to the machine. There was a small glass window and I looked inside to see the meteorite.

"Pikachu, try a Thunderbolt." Ash said as I stepped back to give them room. Pikachu shocked the case with all he had but it didn't do a thing, so Ash and I both grabbed a rock each and began to hammer at the metal, trying to bust it open to get at the meteorite.

"Stop them!" The leader suddenly yelled and I turned, growling slightly as I dropped my rock and faced them with Pikachu at my side.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash called and I watched as Pikachu paralysed them with his electric attack whilst Ash continued to hammer away at the casing. I continued to stay put, watching as the leader jumped down to face us, trying to move towards us to retrieve the meteorite.

"Stay back!" I warned but he continued running at Ash, eyes focused so I jumped forwards and leaped up, spinning around and whipped out my foot and hit him in the chest, knocking him back against the rocks then held him back, turning to call over my shoulder I noticed Professor Cosmo returning.

"Hurry Ash!" Without warning the strength of the guy I was trying to hold back overcame me and I was shoved to the ground, crying out as I felt a rock cut into my hand and the Team Magma member loomed over me, cracking his knuckles.

"Bad move little girl." He warned darkly, stepping forwards menacingly and my eyes grew wide. Uh oh, I'm in trouble. Think Ruby!

"Latias!" Suddenly a shape appeared with a dazzling flash, slamming into the member and forced him away from me as Pikachu leaped up into the air and used Thunderbolt, both of them moving to protect me as I scrambled to my feet. "La?"

"I'm fine. Professor!" I turned to him then blinked as I saw him trying to push the laser machine into the lava pit. "What…what are you doing?"

"We can't let the meteorite fall into the wrong hands. It's best to destroy it." He told me so I nodded my head then ploughed my weight into the machine along with Latias and Pikachu, grunting as the three of us finally gave it the extra push it needed to send it flying over the side and into the lava pit below.

"No! You fools!" The team leader glared at us with a deep growl, grinding his teeth before turning to his other team members. "Let's move out! Go!" He called and they all retreated back to their helicopters, us staying and watching them leave with firm expressions.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said sharply before looking up at me. "Pikachu Pi?" He questioned, noticing the blood dripping from my hand so I lifted it up and smiled.

"I'm fine Pikachu. It's only a scratch." I shook it off but Latias nudged me then licked at my hand gently, trying to help so I rubbed her head with my clean hand then Ash helped me to bind the deep cut with a bandage after I had cleaned it and put some sticky strips on it to keep it together.

"There, that should hold for now." Ash said to me and I nodded my head as he tied off the bandage.

"Thanks Ash. Hey professor, do you need a lift somewhere?" I asked him but he shook his head.

"No, no, I'll make my own way thank you. I've had quite enough experience flying with your Latias. It's a fine specimen by the way, very unique." He complimented and Latias glowed happily, nuzzling his head before circling around us. "Thanks for all your help you kids, you really saved the day."

"I'm just sorry you lost your meteorite." Ash said, looking back over to the lava pit where the machine had been dropped in.

"That's okay. My research will continue even with this little setback, so it's fine." He said to us assuredly. "I'll just have to be patient."

"Good luck Professor, I hope you get another chance to find a meteorite someday soon." I said as I climbed up onto Latias's back then pulled Ash up behind me. "But we'd better get going, some friends of ours will start to worry if we don't get after them soon."

"Alright. Take care you two! Good luck!" Professor Cosmo said with a wave as Latias rose up into the air then flew towards Lavaridge Town, soaring swiftly through the sky with a boost of speed, making us all whoop loudly, lifting our hands up high before Ash clung onto me tightly by my waste, yelling as Latias spun around in a twist for some extra fun.

"Show off!" I teased with another cheer as Latias looped around then dove down the mountain, following its curve barely an inch off the ground before soaring over the forest and I took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air deeply then opened my eyes, glancing back to Ash and Pikachu as they mirrored my expression. I then turned and faced forwards, where I leaned closer to Latias's neck and she powered ahead with even more speed than before.

Once we alighted in Lavaridge Town, I had only just turned around when a foot stomped on the ground, making it shake as I stiffened with a squeak then looked up at Charizard as he glared down at me, tapping his foot with his hands on his hips, demanding to know what took me so long.

"Sorry buddy, we kind of got caught up in a little scuffle." I told him guiltily. "But we're all fine! Right?" Ash, Pikachu and Latias all agreed so Charizard sighed with a shake of his head before showering me in affection, making me squeal with laughter before falling over, giggling uncontrollably as the other just watched.

"Wow, Ruby's Charizard sure is affectionate." May noted as she smiled. "I think it's cute how he's so protective over her!"

"Yeah, Charizard is great." Ash agreed as Charizard nuzzled his muzzle against my sides, tickling me as he smiled and I had to grip onto his face to stop him from making me choke on my own laughter.

"I love you too buddy." I said as I hugged him and Charizard closed his eyes, absorbing my embrace as Latias nudged her way in and I held her close too, smiling warmly to myself as I felt a three way load of love build up within us all, shared with one another and each other alone, bringing tears to my eyes. I really did love all my Pokémon. I loved them a lot.


	30. Chapter 31

With Ash unable to hide his excitement, or even wait another moment longer, we all hurried over to the town gym, where Ash looked up with confidence. "This is it Pikachu, our next badge is waiting for us right here!" He said then turned to call out. "Hello?!" No answer. "Uh…hello?"

"That's weird, guess no one's home." Max said so Ash called out again.

"Is anyone there?" Suddenly a girl came running past us, hands flung up in the air as her back burned with fire on her coat, yelling at the top of her longs.

"Hot! Hot, hot, hot, _hot_ , HOT!"

"Quick, Mudkip, use Water Gun!" Brock swiftly came to the girl's aid and Mudkip showered her with a powerful blast of water which doused the flames instantly, making her relax.

"What a relief." She said, shoulders slumping before she suddenly whipped off her burnt cloak. "Ha! Thank you." She said, giving Brock the thumbs up as his eyes suddenly burst with stars, glittering as he went all mad and goofy.

"You're welcome!" He leaped over to her in one bound then gazed up at her with a husky voice that only made me cringe. "That burning fire is in my heart! Together we can fan those flames…!"

"Okay fireman. Mudkip should have used that Water Gun on you." Max said as he grabbed Brock's ear and marched him away by forced as he yelped.

"Not the ear. Not the ear!"

"How did your clothes catch on fire anyway?" May asked as we all looked away from where Max was dragging Brock away.

"I was training with Mag and Meg." The girl answered simply.

"Are they friends of yours?" Two Slugma appeared, slithering closer to the girl as she knelt down and pulled them closer with a smile.

"They're my sweet Slugma. We were all training together, trying to get them to evolve when their Flamethrower sorta caught me on fire by accident." She told us before looking up. "But wait, what are you all doing here anyway?"

"I came here for a gym battle." Ash told her with anticipation and she leaped up, unable to believe her luck.

"A gym battle? Alright! A challenger, finally! I've been waiting so long for a challenger. I'm Flannery, howdy." She said, holding out a hand to Ash who instantly took it in a firm grip.

"And I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town." He introduced with a smile.

"Hi Flannery, I'm May."

"And I'm Max." I pressed a thumb at myself with a nod and smile to Flannery.

"Ruby Bates, pleased to meet you."

"And I'm Brock." He said, still with Max holding onto his ear and that goofy look on his face.

"A gym battle…and it's all mine!" Flannery called out in excitement which then snapped some sense into Brock as he frowned.

"Hold on, I thought the gym was run by an older man run by Mr Moore." He said and we all looked at Flannery who nodded her head.

"Used to, but now he's out travelling to learn more poetry. He's my grandfather, and in his absence, _I'm_ the Lavaridge gym leader! Let's go, Torkoal!" She cried, ready to throw out her Pokéball but I smartly stepped forwards and snagged her wrist, making her blink at me.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" I tried to prompt her but she still looked at me blankly. "Gym battles need to be fought on an official field." I told her and she laughed as I let go of her wrist.

"Oh right! Sorry, guess I got a little carried away. Follow me guys!" She ran off, leading us around the back of the gym but when we got to the field, Flannery gasped in shock, stumbling back a step as we all stared opened mouthed at the chaos that was her field.

" _This_ is your battlefield?" Ash questioned.

"It's a mess." Brock said to Flannery who blushed deeply.

"Yeah well…now that you mention it my last challenger did like to use Dig a lot. Sorry about that. I got so caught up in training my Slugma that I forgot to clean up." She explained so May shrugged.

"Oh well." I stepped out onto the field, looked around then turned back to face everyone.

"Well? What are we waiting for? Let's get started! The sooner we have this place cleaned up, the sooner Ash can have his gym battle, and then the sooner we can all have a hot sand bath!" I cheered then grabbed all my Pokéballs. "Pokémon, let's go!"

"Kirlia!"

"Ralts?"

"Latias!"

"Jigglypuff Puff!" And finally Charizard roared, however the moment Flannery saw my fire type, she went wide eyed and practically flung herself at Charizard, inspecting every inch of him.

"This has to be the most incredible Charizard I've ever seen! He's so big, what do you feed him? How do you get his skin so shiny? And his tail flame so bright? Wow! I'm in heaven!" I laughed nervously, rubbing the back of my head.

"Thanks. I guess. Well, let's get to work!" I called and the Pokémon all called out as the others called their Pokémon to help too. Charizard helped lift away heavy boulders with Ralts and Kirlia using Confusion, though Ralts used smaller stones and rocks and sometimes dropped them, but it was good practice.

Latias shifted great piles of dirt and the Pokémon helped to shift and shovel as we all got to work too. It was done in no time, with Charizard flattening the ground with a giant rolling presser before we all fell to the ground in exhaustion. Jigglypuff fell on me, panting for breath so I picked her up and settled her more comfortably in my lap.

"Well, we did it. Now all we need is someone to referee the match and to find a badge to give Ash afterwards." Max said but Flannery gave him a funny look.

"I don't plan on losing, you know." She informed him but Brock quickly stepped in.

"Yes of course but it's always a good idea to have a badge ready, just in case." He said and Flannery bit her lip, blushing slightly.

"You do know where the badges are, right?" I asked and Flannery burst into laughter. She laughed and laughed and laughed before hanging her head in shame.

"No." So the others went to go help look for them whilst I took charge of the Pokémon, feeding them some lunch and hosed them down with Mudkip's help, using his Water Gun to help them cool off before letting them rest for a while.

"Bet that feels better, right guys?" I questioned as Ralts and Jigglypuff both stood on my shoulders. Latias flew around in circles, chanting softly with Kirlia dancing on her back, making me chuckle as I watched them.

Charizard was laying down in the hot sand but had extended both wings for everyone else to hide under for some shade, getting out of the heat as I took off my jacket and fanned my face with my hat, puffing steam as the cloudless sky allowed the sun to glare down at me. "If Dragonair were here, I think I'd ask her to change the weather for us." I said before collapsing to the ground. "Ugh…it's too hot."

Suddenly I got a full blast of Water Gun, courtesy of Mudkip who beamed at me. "Mudkip Kip!" My face remained stoic under the shade of my hat.

"Thanks Mudkip." I told him with a slight drone. Well at least with the heat I'd be dry in a few minutes. The gang returned with a badge and even an officiator from the Pokémon referee committee, or whatever. So without further waiting, we returned all our Pokémon then both Flannery and Ash faced one another, ready for a battle of heat and fiery passion. Oh yeah, bring it on!

"This battle between Flannery the gym leader and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town will now begin! Trainers can use up to three Pokémon but only the challenger will be able to substitute. Now, begin!"

"Go Mag, time to fire up!" Flannery called and her Slugma appeared, facing Ash who smirked.

"Slugma huh? Well I've got the perfect answer. Corphish! I choose you!" He chose and Corphish appeared, making us all cheer.

"Go Corphish! You can do it!" I shouted down to Corphish who looked at me, blushed then looked away. Huh? What's up with Corphish? Is it still a little shy around me? "Corphish, Bubblebeam!" Corphish instantly shot a powerful water type attack at Slugma, who dodged at Flannery's command then used a hot Flamethrower. "Don't worry Corphish, use Harden!" Ash countered and Corphish simply stood to take the hit, the fire type move doing very little damage.

"Ash be careful! The damage may be small but it adds up!" Brock warned Ash who held out a peace sign to us all.

"Don't worry about that." He said before turning back to the battle. "Corphish, use Bubblebeam again!" Ash directed and Corphish broke off the Flamethrower to launch his attack, however Slugma dodged by using Double Team, meaning Corphish only hit the copies.

"Getting frustrated Ash? You're only hitting the fakes." Flannery gloated, making Ash made so he instantly retaliated with a yell.

"Corphish, blast 'em all until you find the real one!" Corphish leaped up into the air, chanting his name then with both pincers aiming a double Bubblebeam attack, Corphish finally hit Slugma who was tossed back with a cry.

"No! Slugma!" But then, without warning, Slugma began to glow. Everyone gasped and leaned forwards, watching with interest as Slugma began to grow and change shape. "Slugma's evolving?" Flannery questioned until her freshly evolved Pokémon appeared, larger and with a round shell on its back. "Awesome! My Slugma evolved into a Macargo!"

"Macargo!" It answered, flames bursting through its shell before turning back to face Corphish.

"Alright Mag, time to finish this!"

"That's what you think Flannery. Corphish, use Vice Grip!" Ash answered and I saw Flannery take a deep breath.

"Macargo, Reflect!" Corphish hit a panel of what looked like glass and bounced off, making me blink. That's a different type of Reflect that Kirlia used, maybe she just has much more power that she can focus into it to make it looks so beautiful. "Use Sandstorm!"

Corphish was hit by a powerful blast of twisting sand which knocked him back but remained upright, sweaty and breathing heavily but otherwise okay. "Great job Corphish, now use Bubblebeam!" Flannery countered with Sandstorm again, blocking the Bubblebeam attack almost too easily. "Blocking me huh? Okay then. Corphish! Use Crabhammer against that Sandstorm!" Ash ordered and Corphish leaped up into the air.

With a glowing pincer he cut through the sand like he was cutting through butter, landing a heavy blow against Macargo who was knocked out upon impact. "No! Mag!" Flannery cried out in alarm as the ref called that Macargo was now unable to battle, naming Corphish the winner.

Next up Ash used his Treecko, which shocked everyone however his quick speed gained a little advantage, which put Flannery off for a moment before she caught Ash out with Smog, covering the field in a dark mist before trapping Treecko with Body Slam.

I watched with my breath held in my throat as Treecko escaped and dodged another Flamethrower, however it was too close for Treecko and he was left with a burn, so Ash substituted. I watched the battle as it got worse and worse for Ash, facing Flannery's Slugma until finally, it used Yawn and sent Corphish straight to sleep. Uh oh. We're in trouble.

Ash was in a fix as he returned Corphish, unsure about which Pokémon to choose next but then Pikachu leaped forwards with a determined and battle ready stance. "Pika Pi!" He growled sharply and Ash turned to him.

"You ready to help us out Pikachu? Okay then, let's go!" Against Flannery's Flamethrower, Pikachu dodged with Reflect and broke through the shield, shattering it before it all disappeared. "Alright! No more Reflect to hide behind."

"Mag, use Smog." Flannery said calmly and Slugma hid in the fog out of sight. Pikachu used his ears to sense where Slugma was, but after locating it and using Iron Tail, Slugma dodged with amazing speed back into the smog before the hit could land. "Flamethrower!"

"Pikachu look out!" Pikachu was hit from behind and took a lot of damage, however by using Thunderbolt at Ash's command, Pikachu electrified the Smog and zapped Slugma, paralysing it in place.

"Oh no! Quick Mag, use Yawn!"

"No you don't. Use Quick Attack!" With blinding speed Pikachu slammed into Slugma, tossing it backwards as it cried out. "Now finish with Thunder!" With another powerful electric attack, Pikachu finished the battle against Slugma no problem. "Alright! Way to go Pikachu."

Next up was Torkoal, and in an amazing comeback, Flannery had really figured out her strategy. With every attack Pikachu could fling their way, she used Iron Defence against it, minimising the attack and then finished with Overheat, a powerful fire type attack that knocked Pikachu clean out. Wow, I'm impressed.

"Good job Pikachu, you deserve a rest." Ash said as he walked towards us and I stepped out, holding out my arms and let Ash hand over Pikachu to me so I could take care of him for the time being. Ash's next mistake was sending out his injured Treecko, which was also knocked out in a single hit with Overheat. Ash is in serious trouble, all he has left now is a sleeping Corphish. Bad, very bad.

"Just admit it Ash, you're beat." Flannery said to our friend who instantly rose to the challenge.

"No way, I'll never give up!" He said, looking at his sleeping Pokémon. "Come on Corphish, wake up!"

"Then you leave me no choice Ash. Torkoal, Overheat!" The attack struck with a direct hit, however it didn't seem to bother Corphish, or even do that much damage which Max remarked to Brock who gave us an explanation as to why.

"Overheat is a move that loses power the more you use it because it's so strong. It drains the Pokémon who uses it." Well, that's great news for Ash.

"Go Torkoal, use Flamethrower!" Corphish was swallowed in flames and Ash begged for him to wake up, and I bit my lip before leaping to my feet, Pikachu in my arms.

"Come on Corphish, WAKE UP!" I yelled at the top of my lungs and suddenly, Corphish was wide awake and jumped up, waving his pincers frantically in shock, making Ash laugh.

"Yeah! Thanks Ruby, now let's end this!" I sighed with relief and sat down. Well, at least spending all that time with Misty yelling at Ash really rubbed off on me. "Corphish, use Crabhammer!" Ash called out but Flannery had Torkoal use Iron Defence again, stopping any major damage from being done.

I could see the cogs working in Ash's mind as he tried to figure this out until finally, it clicked. "Corphish, use Crabhammer one more time!" He directed and Corphish went for the blow.

"Really Ash? Again? Iron Defence Torkoal, let's go!" Torkoal hid in its shell but this time, Ash had a plan.

"Now hit it on its side!" Ash ordered and Corphish hit Torkoal with everything he had, sending it spinning around and around like a coin until finally, it opened up, too dizzy to remain inside as we all cheered. "Finish with Bubblebeam!"

With one last super effective attack, Torkoal was knocked out of the battle and Corphish emerged victorious, winning Ash his fourth badge, the Heat Badge! Wait, what's wrong with the referee's face? His moustache and hair is all wonky.

Suddenly it fell off and he yelped, revealing to really have white hair instead and Flannery gasped. " _Grandpa_? What are you doing here?" She demanded after she'd returned her Torkoal. "I thought you were out travelling!"

"I was, but I got worried about you and how you were handling things, so I came back." He said hanging his head. "Only I didn't want everyone to know after such a wonderful send off, I'm sorry Flannery." So _this_ was Flannery's grandfather? Wow, now that's something you don't see every day.

"So the judge was Flannery's grandpa the whole time?" May questioned as Max nodded his head.

"Yup. Seems like it." Suddenly Mr Moore grew serious as he walked towards Flannery, abandoning his disguise to reveal simple pale purple robes underneath. "Flannery, you had your opponent on the ropes but then you got hasty and used Overheat too early. You still have not yet learned to remain calm." She hung her head.

"I know grandpa." But then her grandpa smiled.

"However on the other hand you just gave Ash a battle like one I've never seen before and I'm quite positive you'll make an excellent gym leader." Flannery celebrated, smiling and jumping up proudly before thanking her grandpa then moved over to us.

"Congratulations Ash and thank you for such a great battle. It's my pleasure to award you this Heat Badge." Flannery said before handing it over. Ash admired the flame like design before laughing and turning around.

"Alright, I just won a Heat Badge!" He celebrated as both Pikachu and Corphish leaped up as well.

"Pi Pikachu!"

"Corphish Cor!" We all smiled proudly at Ash as he danced around, joined by his Pokémon as they jumped up and down with him until finally, we were invited for a nice, long sand bath which I soaked in without hesitation, letting it draw away all my tiredness until all was well with the world.


	31. Chapter 32

"But…I was _sure_ this was the way." Brock said, scratching his head in confusion as we looked out over the canyon. Great, we're lost again. Kind of figures, seeing as we were just following Brock's _sense_ and not the map like I suggested we should have. I'm tired! I want to take a break!

"Oh…why do guys always have trouble asking for directions?" May complained before looking up. "Huh? What's that?" Suddenly a metal bird flew down from the sky and Magnemite appeared, using Thunder Wave on a Torkoal who was trapped in their grip and unable to fight his way out.

"Hey! Leave Torkoal alone you big bullies!" I yelled at them as Ash also stepped forwards.

"Don't worry Torkoal, we'll help you out!" Ash said as Torkoal began to take multiple hits from all the Pokémon. With that he leaped forwards and skid down the cliff, me close behind him as Torkoal was dropped down from the sky and the angry Magnemite used Thunderbolt just as Ash caught Torkoal, though with its weight he only managed to break its fall. It still fell to the ground with a hit but then neither could get up in time to dodge the Thunderbolts. "ARGH!" Ash yelled then pulled Pikachu close with Torkoal to try and shield them, but I leaped over their heads and with a rush of energy, pushed out my aura to form a shield in front of us, holding back the attacks. "Huh? Ruby?"

"How's Torkoal?" I asked but then without warning, a Thunderbolt blasted through my shield, it being too weak to sustain that much attack and I cried out, taking the full hit without any let up of power.

"Ruby!"

"Pikachu Pi!" Pikachu called out with Ash as I yelled, clenching my eyes tightly shut to try and block out the pain, but it was pretty intense. Suddenly one of my Pokéballs burst open and with the most furious roar I had ever heard from Charizard, he blasted the Magnemite with an unrelenting Flamethrower, knocking them all back then struck the Skarmony, sending them all flying away in fear as I groaned softly then collapsed to the ground, unable to stand upright.

"Ruby! Oh no, Ruby answer me!" Ash pleaded as he shook my shoulder and Charizard looked down with worry.

"Torkoal!" The Torkoal burst into tears, sobbing over me and the teardrops, which was more like a river in its own right, woke me from my daze. "Torkoal?"

"Hey there Torkoal. You okay?" I asked and it nodded its head.

"Torkoal!" But then it collapsed to the ground, making everyone gasp as they reached us.

"Oh no! Ruby, are you okay?" Max asked, helping me to sit up as Ash put a hand on my back whilst May and Brock saw to Torkoal.

"Yeah I'm fine." Charizard lowered his head and began to lick my face with worry, pushing close as he whimpered softly to me so I smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'm fine, honest. Thanks for saving me Charizard, take a rest now." I said and returned him to his Pokéball before inching closer to Torkoal. "How's it looking?"

"Not good. It's taken a lot of damage from those Pokémon and its temperature is dropping." Brock informed me so I nodded my head.

"In that case, we need coal." I told everyone. "That will help fire up Torkoal's inner flames, but I don't think we have any."

"Maybe we should go back to Lavaridge?" May suggested with worry. "If Torkoal gets sick, then Nurse Joy will be able to help us."

"No, we have to do something now." Brock said determinedly as he began to get out his medicine kit and I placed a blanket around Torkoal. Suddenly a bolt of electricity struck the ground and the Magnemite came back at us, mad to the core as they focused their attacks on us.

"They're back!" Max yelled and I stood up, though I shook slightly from their previous attack.

"In that case, Charizard, we need you again! Flamethrower!" I called and Charizard instantly reappeared, fiercely moving in front of me and his tail curled around where I was standing in a protective circle, making me blink as he fired his attack at the Magnemite but they dodged, aiming their Thunderbolts at him.

"Pikachu, counter with your Thunderbolt!" Ash called and Pikachu leaped forwards, jumping up and used his Thunderbolt to block both of the Magnemite's. What's going on? Why're they so interested in the Torkoal?

"Flamethrower, again!" I directed and Charizard instantly blasted them with heat, landing an effective attack and once again they fled, weakened by his strength. Charizard snorted with a nod of his head, folding his arms before looking down at Torkoal as Brock gave it some medicine.

"There you go, that should fire you back up." He said gently, encouraging Torkoal to take it and the moment it had swallowed, Torkoal burst into tears and snorted out smoke, covering us all in its residue, blinking slightly.

Without a word I reached for Max's glasses, took them off his nose and cleaned them before putting them back. "Thanks."

"No problem squirt." I answered as the Torkoal settled back down, Ash rubbing its head gently.

"Hey, there's no need to cry, we're here to help you." Ash said with a friendly smile. "I'm Ash, and this is Brock. He's great with Pokémon and medicines, so you're in the best of care."

"Hi Torkoal, I'm May. It's nice to meet you." May greeted cheerfully with a wave as Max folded his arms with a smirk.

"And I'm Max. This dumb idiot is my sister."

"Hey!" May turned on him so I shoved them apart and knelt down between them before they could start fighting.

"And my name is Ruby. I'm glad to see you're feeling better already." I told the Torkoal who instantly burst into tears, making everyone take a step back. "Was it something I said?"

"Maybe it's your face it found scary." Ash suggested so I shot him a glare. Pikachu smartly jumped onto my shoulder as I swung my fist and clonked Ash on the back of the head with all my might, sending him sprawling with a loud groan on the ground.

"You take that back Ash Ketchum, or you'll be sorry!"

"I _am_ sorry! Don't hurt me." I growled at him under my breath then turned away, thoroughly insulted. I'm not scary. At least, I don't think I am. Am I scary? Seeing how I'd just pummelled Ash, I guess maybe I was just a little bit. Oh well, he deserved it.

"Uh guys? I think those Magnemite are coming back." Max said, tugging on my sleeve. "Wargh! And there's a whole lot more of 'em this time with backup!"

"Run!" I yelled, grabbing Max and May to pull them along with me. "Charizard, cover fire!" He roared then began to shoot Flamethrower at the Magnemite and Magneton, allowing us to escape as I helped Brock to carry Torkoal, Ash leading the way to some rocks as Pikachu shot a Thunderbolt at the Pokémon, trying to help Charizard out.

When multiple blasts of electric attacks struck Charizard I cried out and pulled out his Pokéball, not wanting him to take on any more damage. "Charizard return. Let's go Pikachu!"

"Pika!" Pikachu leaped back onto my shoulder and together we found cover behind some rocks though they pursued after us.

"Why do you think they keep attacking us like that?" May asked as we reached them, holding onto her brother protectively.

"I don't know, but whatever it is I think they're going to keep on attacking." He said as I looked around at the Magnemite and Magneton as they moved closer. Looks like we're in a fix, maybe I should try talking to them? Though if I can't get through soon enough, I could be putting my life in danger if they decide to just go ahead and blast me into dust.

"Hey May, why don't you call your Torchic out?" Max suggested and May blinked.

"Huh? How will that help?"

"Because fire types are super effective against steel!" Brock realised Max's plan and May instantly nodded her head with a determined smile.

"Okay, Torchic come on out and use Ember!" She called just as Torkoal lifted his head.

"Koal? Torkoal!" He suddenly scuttled forwards, moving pretty fast for a Pokémon that weighed so much, however he joined forces with Torchic for an awesome double fire attack which sent all the angry Pokémon away. "Torkoal." He said, snorting out smoke out of his nostrils as we came out of hiding.

"Yay Torchic, good job!" May cheered for her Torchic who chirped happily in response as Ash walked over to Torkoal and rested a hand on the back of his shell.

"You were awesome too Torkoal." He said, only Torkoal started to cry excessively again, turning to Ash and pressed his feet into Ash's chest in a Body Slam like hug. "Agh! Torkoal! That's nice, but you're pretty heavy!" Well, it's been a while since I've seen Ash get bowled over by a Pokémon. Bayleef used to be in charge of that spectacle. Suddenly Torkoal fainted, crashing out on Ash and we all gasped before shifting him off back into the blanket, the Flamethrower having taken a lot of its energy.

"Here Torkoal, just rest a bit." I said, gently rubbing its head as it lay down for a while.

"Why was Torkoal having such a hard time against the Magnemite when fire Pokémon are supposed to have the advantage?" Max questioned, unable to understand how Torkoal had lost his initial battle with them.

"For one thing, Torkoal was outnumbered. Four against one is a little unfair. That right Torkoal? I bet you can handle just about anyone when it's one on one." Ash said and Torkoal instantly stood up, sobbing happily before accidently blowing smoke into Ash's face, blackening it slightly and I giggled before taking a picture of his baffled expression. I'm not letting him forget _this_ one for sure.

"That means yes." May beamed at Torkoal and Ash as Max laughed slightly.

"At least Torkoal got just you that time." He said before turning to Brock and I. "Do you think the Magnemite and Magneton will leave us alone now?" Before I could answer Brock spoke out with a dark expression.

"I wouldn't count on that. I'm pretty certain this is the valley of steel, and that is not a good thing." Valley of steel? Must be named that way because of all the steel type Pokémon that live here. "Nurse Joy back at the Pokémon Centre warned us to stay far away from it." Oh great. Not only are we lost, but we're lost in a valley full of highly territorial and powerful Pokémon that won't hesitate to attack us at a moment's notice. Swell.

"So we should get out of here!" Max said quickly, standing up but Ash shook his head with a determined expression.

"No way, we've come this far, I say we go all the way!" He declared and surprisingly May leaped up as well.

"Yeah! Besides we've got Torchic, and Skitty's Assist might help us out. Not to mention Ruby's Charizard."

"I wouldn't count on Charizard." I said to them seriously, tilting my hat down as I sighed. "He took a lot of damage from that triple Thunderbolt. It was amazing he was still standing afterwards. Being part flying type, electric attacks have a serious effect." I told them all. "I saw we head back. It's too dangerous."

"No way. Think of it as extreme training." Ash answered, still looking perfectly at ease. "Besides, we've got Torkoal here! Torkoal will help us, won't you buddy? Your Flamethrower will be an awesome help."

"Torkoal!" He leaped up again with tears, blowing out smoke from his nostrils and covered us all in a coating for good measure. "Koal?"

"I guess that means yes too." May said with a giggle but then a deep roar sounded from far away, making my head jerk up as the others all jumped and whimpered, Max clinging onto May instinctively who clung onto me.

"Torkoal!" Our friend suddenly shot off in a blur of dust, leaving us behind though Ash tried to call him back.

"Hey Torkoal, wait!" Not bothering to hang about, I started running and dragged everyone with me, pulling Ash along as we went.

"Don't just stand there, let's follow him!" Torkoal stopped when faced with some Magneton, using Flamethrower and we all cheered as they split off, some of them leaving quickly to leave only two behind.

"Alright Torchic, Ember!" May called and Torchic instantly showered the Pokémon with a heavy fire fall, sending them streaking away without another moment's hesitation. "Yeah! You did it Torchic! That's the way to do it."

"That was great Torkoal! You've really got some power there." Ash said and Torkoal burst out crying again, overwhelmed by Ash's compliments so I chuckled.

"Guess Torkoal likes you Ash." I noted and he gave a little laugh before turning to Pikachu.

"Okay buddy, you lead the way." He said and Pikachu nodded before shooting forwards. Pikachu only got a few bounds ahead before he skidded to a halt, crying out in alarm and Ash instantly rushed forwards without thinking. "Pikachu what's wrong? WHOA!" He cried out, arms flailing as I walked calmly over, his body beginning to tilt over the side of the cliff before I grabbed the back of his jacket and hauled him back with a simple tug. "That…was close. Thanks Ruby."

"Any time genius." I said, saluting him with a flick of my wrist before looking over the edge. "Well, we can't go down. So we'll have to either find another way across or take rides on Latias. Maybe Charizard, depending on how he's feeling." I said as everyone grouped together at the cliff side.

"Wow, that's a long way down." May said just before we heard screaming. We turned to look at a shape in the sky, no more than a dark blot before it slowly began to grow larger and larger. "What is that?"

"I think we're about to get a closer look." Brock noted until we finally saw the faces of Team Rocket flying down towards us.

"Get out of the way!" They yelled so we all took a side step, watching passively as they hit the ground then bounced up over the side, tumbling down into the chasm. "AAAGH! WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" They all screamed. Well that's unfortunate, and very rude. They didn't even stop to say hello.

Without warning the ground crumbled underneath May's feet, making her gasp in alarm as suddenly she tumbled down after Team Rocket, Torchic being dragged with her as she screamed. "Latias I choose you!" I called, sending out my Pokémon without even hesitating to think. "Hurry and catch May and Torchic!" I said urgently and Latias instantly dove down head first, calling out to May who had managed to catch Torchic in her arms.

"May!" Max yelled, gripping onto me tightly in fear for his sister however not a moment later, Latias shot back up and May sighed with relief, sliding off then hugged Latias gratefully.

"Thanks Latias, you saved us." She said as Max sighed with relief then ran to May, throwing his arms around her waist as tears glistened in his eyes. "Max?"

"You scared me May!" He told her as he continued to hold on tightly. "I thought you were a goner!"

"Me too, but don't worry Max. I'm fine." May told him gently as I reached out and ruffled his hair.

"Sure squirt, I'm not going to let anything happen to either of you." I told him then winked as he looked around to me, eyes wide as I rubbed Latias's head proudly. "Good job Latias. Now let's get out of here, it won't be long until those Pokémon are back with even more numbers."

So Latias carried us all two at a time over to the other side, Ash going last with Torkoal as I carried Pikachu on my shoulder. "Thanks Latias, take a rest now." I said and she trilled happily, licking my face and made me giggle before she disappeared into her Pokéball. "Let's move out people!"

Eventually we managed to find our way out, however just at the edge of the valley, a Steelix appeared and Torkoal instantly started battling with it. I guess that's why Torkoal was hadn't ran away from the valley after getting shocked by all those Magnemite, he had battled this Steelix before and wanted a rematch to earn back its pride.

What was truly amazing, however, was how Ash battled _with_ Torkoal, who was still wild but he obeyed every command Ash gave him, and finishing with a staggering Overheat, Torkoal bagged himself a victory, and the respect of all the steel Pokémon in the valley. It was an intense and pretty impressive battle.

Once we were out of there, there was only really one option, and that was Ash taking Torkoal along with him, which instantly set Torkoal off crying as he slammed into Ash for a hug and snorted black smoke around us all. Guess we'll have to get used to that.


	32. Chapter 33

After a little accident with Torkoal's fumes and Skitty inhaling a lot of the smoke, we had to hurry to the next town to help get Skitty better at the Pokémon Centre, only thing was, there wasn't one. Instead the town had a Pokémon Clinic, where Dr Abby, a Grand Festival Cup winner helped Skitty's voice get better by using pressure points, and I eagerly learned what I could in the short time we stayed there.

In that time, Abby's Delcatty Johnny demonstrated to Skitty how to use Blizzard, which Abby helped teach to May and Skitty until buy the end of a hard day's work, they almost had it nailed. It was awesome, I never knew normal type Pokémon could learn such a range of attacks, with the right training, they could be pretty powerful.

Anyway, with Verdanturf Town hosting our next Pokémon contest, I couldn't wait to get there and try out Kirlia in her first performance, it's going to be great! Even when we got there, I just couldn't contain my excitement, however May wasn't as enthused as I was. She was worrying about using her Skitty for the first time in a contest.

"I just don't know if I'm ready." She said as I walked on over.

"Hey May, don't worry." I told her simply. "You've been training really hard, _and_ Skitty knows a new move which will give you loads of advantage over other trainers. Today, it'll be you and me facing off in the final round, you wait and see." May lifted her head, brightening slightly.

"You think so?"

"You know I do. So come on, let's get ready." I said, tugging on her wrist and together we made our way down to the coordinators lounge to wait our turn to be called up. I had everything planned, the routine, strategy, everything. Now it all depended on Kirlia. I hope she doesn't get stage fright.

May went first with Skitty, however after a failed Blizzard, I saw her loose some of her confidence before she shook herself off and brought it back with the cutest juggling trick, another thing Abby had taught her. It was something she and Johnny used to do when he was a Skitty. She got a pretty decent score, however it wasn't impressively high. I hope it's enough for her to go through. The guys all came down to comfort her and we all told her that what went wrong didn't matter, however then the bell dinged, signalling that the previous contestant had finished and it was now nearing the end of the preliminary round.

Last of all, it was my turn. Taking a deep breath I walked up onto the stage and looked confidently out to the audience as Vivien introduced me, highlighting how I'd stormed through two previous contests to win first place, however this didn't make me feel any more comfortable. I'm not sure what I find more daunting. A league battle or _this_. Oh well, time to get this show on the road.

"Kirlia, it's show time!" I called and Kirlia appeared with a flash of light, instantly twirling around and her entire body sparkled as the spotlight reflected off of her. She smiled for the audience and they all awed over her cute beauty, however the moment she realised how many people were there, Kirlia froze in place.

"Kirli?" No not now! We haven't even gotten started.

"Kirlia it's okay." I told her and she turned her head back to me. "They're only here to see how beautiful you are, so let's show them everything you've got! Kirlia, use Magical Leaf!" I directed and so Kirlia smiled, feeling a little more at ease and she twirled around, spinning in a perfect balletic pose as rainbow coloured leaves shot out around her in a twister, spiralling around her body then rose up as more of them poured out.

"A dazzling start, and it only gets better from there folks! Kirlia's Magical Leaf is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen!" Vivien proclaimed and I sensed Kirlia's spirits rise at the compliment.

"Now Kirlia, use Confusion." I told her, smiling as she lifted herself off the ground then began to dance, leaping and spinning with the leaves also following her movements, gliding through the sky as everyone's mouths dropped further open and Kirlia completely stole their hearts. "Now, Teleport and finish with a Confusion wave!" I twirled around elegantly, mirroring Kirlia's movements as she Teleported from her position to the middle of the stage, still in mid-air but then with a stronger use of Confusion, made certain items in the audience begin to glow and rise up around them.

Glasses, purses, adornments and such and Kirlia sang softly with closed eyes, dancing as the objects twirled gently around in front of their owners until slowly, she began to spiral down with flowing movements, letting everything back down until finally, with a quick flick of both hands outwards, the Magical Leaf's glow disappeared as she released it and the leaves all floated to the ground around her as we both posed, curtseying to our thunderous applause.

"Wow, I must say I'm speechless! Quite an original routine, I've never seen anything like that happen before, a great use of Kirlia's psychic powers to include the audience in its display. Now what did the judges think?" Vivien turned to the three judges and they all beamed.

"That was truly beautiful and enchanting! Great work!"

"It was remarkable!"

"The most beautiful use of a psychic Pokémon's power I've ever seen." Nurse Joy finished, touching her face. "It was like I was in another world!" Turning a smile to Kirlia as she listened she looked my way.

"You did it Kirlia. They love you." I said but then laughed. "But not as much as I do."

"Kirli? Kirlia!" She cheered then leaped into my arms, making me laugh again as I spun around with her and the crowd went wild.

"Now for the judges scores, what will it be?" Vivien questioned and we both turned. "It's the highest score! Twenty nine point four! An impressive finale, give it up for Ruby and her Kirlia!" Vivien called and we both waved to the audience before I turned and carried Kirlia back to the waiting lounge.

"Hey Ruby! That was _awesome_!" Ash called as I walked over to them. "You and Kirlia were really in sync."

"Thanks Ash, though it was Kirlia who really deserves all the credit, she's the one who made it happen." I said with a proud smile down at her. "Isn't that right Kirlia?"

"Kirlia." She answered as May smiled at me.

"You were really great Ruby, watching you made me really find my cool. You just always seem to know what you're doing, and _that's_ inspired me to work even harder at this. No matter what, _I'm_ going to be walked away with my second ribbon today." She said and I grinned, clenching a fist.

"That'll be hard, considering _I'm_ the one who's gonna win." I retaliated and I felt a competitive fire spark between us, burning brighter as we continued to smirk at one another.

"And the results are in!" Vivien called and instantly we whirled around with a gasp. Four pictures showed up, mine at the top, and last of all, was May. She'd made it!

"Yeah! That's great May, _now_ we can really see who's the best." I said, clasping her hand in a fist as she smirked.

"That's easy. It's me and Skitty. You're going down hot shot." She informed me and I smirked.

"We'll see about that." Our battles were organised and I was going up against this woman with a Dustox. Funny, I didn't realise Dustox were such a popular Pokémon in contest. No matter, Kirlia and I will wipe the floor with them!

I stood in my box, glaring determinedly forwards at my opponent as Vivien explained the rules then called for time. "Kirlia! It's show time!" I chanted and Kirlia appeared with a twirl and pose, gracefully moving with her eyes closed for added mysteriousness which drew everyone's attention, until they turned to admire Dustox. This is going to be an epic battle.

"Go Dustox, use Poison Sting!" My opponent ordered so I smirked.

"Dance Kirlia, and use Teleport." Keeping my cool Kirlia disappeared then reappeared out of range of the Poison Sting needles, missing them completely as she began to dance on stage, facing the audience and they all cheered as my opponent lost points. "Great work Kirlia, you're looking as beautiful as ever." I told her.

"Argh…on no you don't, you can't make a fool out of me! Dustox, use Whirlwind, let's go!"

"Dustox!" Dustox called out then began to beat the air, whipping up a powerful wind that swirled around Kirlia and she flinched back, holding a hand against her eyes to try and block it out but I thought quickly.

"Magical Leaf Kirlia, go!" She instantly spun around and her Magical Leaf rose up, swirling with the wind as Dustox beat down on her. "Now use Confusion on the Magical Leaf and send it straight for Dustox!" Kirlia twirled and did as I had instructed, sending the attack straight at Dustox and with the Confusion, allowed it to break its attack of Whirlwind and lost more points, evening things out a little. "Great work!"

"Don't stand there and take that Dustox, we're better than that! Use Psybeam, now!" Dustox turned back to us and Kirlia lowered her stance, ready to attack but I decided for a more…dramatic approach.

"Kirlia, use Reflect." Instantly Kirlia jumped and used her powerful yet beautifully stunning Reflect, creating a large sphere which completely outsized her and it took the Psybeam attack, drawing in its colour then shot it back at Dustox just like it had before with the Shadow Ball, hitting Dustox and Kirlia twirled as she moved to face the audience, striking a pose as she chanted softly.

"Kirlia…"

"Wow! With the Reflect taking on so many colours, Kirlia's beauty is really shining out! Just look at the dazzling array of light all shining brightly!" Vivien described as I looked at the orb with pride, glowing like a crystal clear ocean blue with the stunning assortment of colours from Dustox's Psybeam attack.

"No way! That's not fair! Dustox, use Poison Sting and knock that little brat out of the spotlight!" Dustox instantly shot numerous poison spikes at Kirlia, knocking her to the ground and I gasped, seeing her take a heavy fall.

"Kirlia! Are you okay?" I asked with worry. Kirlia sprang back to her feet with a twirl and faced Dustox again, ready once more. "Alright!" I cheered, gripping my hand into a fist with a smile. "In that case, let's finish it up! Use Teleport!"

"Dustox, finish with Psybeam! Find that little brat and finish it off!" My opponent practically screeched, completely losing her cool. Kirlia disappeared from sight then reappeared, floating exactly in Dustox's direct line of sight. "Now go! Psybeam!" Kirlia narrowed her eyes, letting Dustox launch its attack before disappearing again.

"Now use Confusion!" I directed and suddenly, the colourful beam began to move, curling around like a ribbon as it gracefully danced through the air until the two streams began to spiral around one another in the centre stage, glowing brightly as Kirlia appeared and twirled with them, dancing prettily as she smiled.

"Time's up!" Vivien called as the beep sounded. "And the winner is…Ruby! With her astoundingly perfect performance alongside her Kirlia." She called and I instantly leaped up, punching the air with a cheer as Kirlia dispersed the Psybeam then floated into my arms, hugging me tightly as I held onto her.

"You were amazing Kirlia, just beautiful." I told her warmly and she held on tighter.

"Kirlia." Feeling an resounding wave of love and affection wash over me from both myself and Kirlia, a tear rose to my eye as I stood there with her, listening to the thundering of applause before I turned and walked away to prepare for my next battle, though my opponent wasn't too happy about losing. She had to be escorted from the building by security seeing as she refused to leave the stage. Well there's a drama queen if I ever did see one.

The moment I was back in the lounge I relaxed, letting Kirlia twirl around to her heart's content as she chanted to herself, perfectly at ease now that we'd gotten over our initial first jitters. The door opened and I looked up, expecting to see Ash and the others. "Hey guys, you should be up watching May… _Drew_?"

"That's right." He said, flicking a hand through his fringe. "I just came to say well done and good luck. You're not as tacky as I thought you'd be. Looks like you've moved on from that old school Jigglypuff of yours." I growled at him.

"Maybe I should bring her out here and you can say it to her face. I'd _love_ to see how that works out for you, _punk_." I growled at him and Kirlia stopped twirling to send a hard look at Drew.

"Kirlia." He only smirked and gave a shrug.

"Whatever. I was trying to pay you a compliment, just so you know."

"Tried and failed." I agreed but when I heard Vivien commentating, I looked up at the screen to watch May's battle. "What are you doing here anyway?" I asked him and he shrugged again.

"Figured you and May would show up, so I thought I'd come and watch, see if she had improved at all. By the way she performed in the first round, I guess she's still got a long way to go." He said so I didn't bother answering, keeping focused on the screen. "I'll be going now. I expect a great performance for your last battle. I'm interested to see who will win out of you and May. If it even gets to that point." Drew said, flicking a hand through his hair before walking away.

"See you around Drew." I answered blankly, continuing to watch. It ended with Skitty's victory against Stefano's Wartortle, which had her shocked to say the least however she quickly brought it together and celebrated with Skitty.

Finally. Now the contest _really_ starts. I can't wait for this, it'll be a real battle with both of us giving it our all. May and I faced one another, both of us wearing guarded expressions with our Pokémon all ready to go. "Now, let's begin!" Vivien called so I moved forwards with the first attack.

"Go Kirlia, use Magical Leaf!" I ordered and Kirlia twirled around and the attack shot towards Skitty. It's an attack that never misses its mark. I wonder if May remembers that.

"Go Skitty, use Double Slap!" May called and Skitty used her tail to beat away the leaves, dropping them to the floor but I instantly knew what to do.

"Confusion." With a sing song like voice Kirlia lifted up the leaves and they began to shoot around Skitty, closing in on her before striking, landing a heavy blow which lost May considerable points. "How'd you like that little trick May?"

"Good, but it's not enough to knock us back! Go Skitty, use Tackle!" Skitty charged forwards towards Kirlia who waited patiently for my call.

"Teleport Kirlia." She disappeared in an instantly then reappeared behind Skitty, eyes narrowed and focused as she moved with graceful movements. "Now Confusion again on Skitty!"

"What?!" May yelped as Skitty was lifted up into the air by Kirlia, higher and higher. "I've got to do something, fast! Oh, I know! Skitty use Assist!" May punched the air and instantly Skitty launched an Assist attack on Kirlia, pointing her little paw downwards and I inhaled sharply. There's no telling what kind of attack will be selected!

Suddenly small but powerful flames shot down at Kirlia and hit full on, making her cry out and break her concentration with Confusion, allowing Skitty to fall however the kitten Pokémon bounced on her tail then faced Kirlia once more who knelt on the stage, taking deep breaths to try and recover. "It's okay Kirlia, you're doing great!" I assured her confidently. "Just stay calm, and use Magical Leaf!"

"Skitty, counter with Blizzard!" May cheered, however when Skitty tried to form a Blizzard attack, it petered out and the Magical Leaf shot through, hitting Skitty with considerable power and our points now balanced out. This is going to be tough. May really has confidence in herself, she knows what she's doing. "Skitty! Are you okay?" May asked and Skitty jumped back to her feet with a bright meow. "Awesome, then let's use Assist again!" This time Silver Wind shot out and tunnelled straight for Kirlia.

"Jump up and ride it using Confusion!" I directed so Kirlia took the leap and began to twirl and dance again on the Silver Wind, losing May points as Kirlia then jumped up into the air.

"Skitty, Tackle!"

"Teleport!"

"Double Slap!" We battled it out, the clock ticking with us constantly ending with level points until we were in the last minute. This is it, it's now or never. "Okay Skitty, use Assist one more time!" May tried, punching the air once again and Skitty's paw glowed with a white orb before Beautifly's String Shot powered towards us in four strands.

"Confusion Kirlia, let's go!" I ordered and Kirlia instantly controlled the silk herself, using it to decorate her beautiful dancing with long, wispy ribbons that spiralled around her before she snapped them back towards Skitty. Ten seconds left. May has to do something _now_ if she wants to stay in this, as it was I'm ahead on points.

"Okay Skitty, use Blizzard to finish this!" May said with all the confidence she could muster and with a deep breath, Skitty finally mastered Blizzard and the icy wind streaked towards us, breaking off the String Shot and barrelled into Kirlia, making her cry out as she fell to the ground and I gasped.

"No! Kirlia!" I leaped forwards and caught her just as the time rang, signalling the end of the battle with May winning just by a few points. "Kirlia? Are you okay?" I asked and she turned a sad face onto me before lifting her hands, creating a tiny Reflect bubble and I chuckled. "I know, we should have used Reflect, but I just couldn't think fast enough. I'm sorry Kirlia, I let you down. I promise that next time, it won't be the same story." I told her before hugging her to me. "In any case, you were better than I could have ever dreamed of out there, I'm so proud of you."

"Kirli." Kirlia smiled, holding onto me as I opened my eyes and walked over to me, lifting Kirlia up to sit on my shoulder as I held out a hand and shook May's.

"Awesome battle May." I said with a wink. "You and Skitty sure took us by surprise. Next time we won't underestimate that Blizzard, and we won't be losing." I told her as she beamed, overjoyed at having won.

"I can't wait for next time." She told me before turning to receive her ribbon, smiling brightly so I looked to Kirlia.

"How about a Magical Leaf?" I suggested and she nodded her head with a smile before sending out a stream of multi coloured leaves, which began to dance around May and Skitty, making her laugh in awe as she turned around to follow them, eyes sparkling brightly as we decorated her victory. Second badge down, now it's only three more for the both of us until we can enter the Grand Festival. Ribbons, here we come!


	33. Chapter 34

"Oh hello Ruby, I thought you might be calling again soon." Professor Oak smiled as he picked up my call. "I trust you and Ash are both alright?"

"Yeah we're doing fine. I've won two contest ribbons so far and Ash is going for his fifth badge very soon, we're in Petalburg City right now." I told him with a cheerful grin. "So things are going great! I caught two new Pokémon over here, a Ralts and a Kirlia, they're both so cute! And Kirlia is joining Jigglypuff as my main contest battler, she really knows how to put on a show." I told the professor who nodded his head.

"Yes I know, we all watched your battle on the TV, too bad you lost, it was a close one." He said to me and I nodded my head.

"Yeah, it was close, but I didn't mind losing. It's not so bad when you lose to a friend, and May totally earned that ribbon so it's okay. I'll just enter another contest and get my third ribbon next time." I told him confidently and he chuckled.

"I'm glad to hear you're doing so well. Although, if you and May are travelling together so often, aren't you worried that by participating in the same contests, one or both of you will end up failing to earn all five ribbons? It's a tough competition out there you know." He's right. With May and I entering all the same competitions, we could accidentally end up beating one another constantly until we run out of time and contests to enter the Grand Festival.

"Yeah…maybe you're right." I said with a sigh but then perked up. "How's Vaporeon? Are the eggs okay? And my other Pokémon? I miss them all so much." Suddenly a head popped up and the screen was swallowed by Ivysaur's face.

"Ivysaur! Ivysaur Saur!" He cheered, licking the screen as I giggled.

"Hey there Ivysaur! I've missed you buddy." I told him as Professor Oak tried to wrestle my Pokémon away from the screen.

"Come on now Ivysaur, that's enough. Whoa!" There was a crash as Professor Oak fell over backwards and suddenly, a load of Pokémon came running through, chasing after a Doduo who had apparently stolen a bag of Pokémon food. "Hey! You can't eat that, it's not your dinner time. Wait!" He yelled and raced away from the phone, making me tilt my head to the side and blink.

"Uh…professor?"

"Well hi there Rubes, long time no see." Gary's voice spoke before he walked on screen, hands in his pockets with his hair the usual mess but my eyes widened as my throat went dry. What's _he_ doing there? Stupid Gary Oak. "You look great, I see you've taken my mom's fashion advice well." He said and I growled at him.

"There was nothing wrong with my wardrobe beforehand!" I yelled at him but he just smirked.

"Please, you looks like some sort of cowgirl cadet that had been tossed into a bush. You always looked a mess." I blushed slightly and looked down, knowing that he was right. I'd always go around with some sort of assortment of leaves and twigs in my hair. "But you always looked kinda pretty, so I guess you can get away with looking like the swamp monster." He told me and instantly my anger flared again.

"Who're you calling swamp monster?! You Rattata brained…did you just call me pretty?" He winked at me.

"Don't let it go to your head. The eggs are fine by the way. No signs of hatching yet, so grandpa reckons it'll be another few months or so. They're certainly taking their time." Gary said. "I came back for a while to lend a hand, I wanted to be here for when they hatched." Instantly I felt guilty. I wanted to be there too, I just couldn't afford all the trips there and back again, besides I have my contests…I can't just take a huge break to go home. "You okay Rubes?"

"Yeah I'm fine." I said, putting on an expressionless face so that he couldn't tell, but somehow it didn't work and he gave me a gentle smile.

"Hey it's okay, Vaporeon understands. She travelled around with you remember? She knows how important it is to keep training and working at whatever it is you're doing. I'm sure she'd want you to keep on working." He told me and I felt a little better. I guess so, I just wish I could see those eggs hatch. "Anyway, have you seen your parents at all? They're in Hoenn too, right?"

"We've emailed when we can, though with dad working at the Mossdeep space centre on the new programming, it's a little hard for him to catch a break and mom's found a new hobby, windsurfing." I gave a wry smile. "I don't know, it's like I don't exist to them anymore. All of a sudden they've rediscovered the world of Pokémon and they can't get enough of it."

"Don't sweat it Rubes, they still love you. They're your parents after all." Gary said to me before glancing to Ivysaur as he managed to climb back up into Professor Oak's chair, standing up to give me the cutest little grin as Gary chuckled and rubbed his head.

"Hi there again Ivysaur, I know you miss me. I miss you too." I told him. "I think about you all the time, you know, I hope you're getting along okay and are helping keep the peace between the wild Pokémon." I said and he nodded his head.

"Ivysaur, Saur."

"That's good. I knew I could count on you." I smiled proudly at him and Ivysaur tickled the screen, making me giggle as if he were really here tickling me. "I love you too buddy." I said to him just as Professor came running back, gasping for air and a mutilated bag of Pokémon food under his arm.

"Ruby…before you…go…there's…something…I need…to tell you." He gasped, clutching his chest before sucking a deep breath and recovered himself. "I was wondering if you'd be willing to go fetch something for me. It takes you a little out of your way, but I've heard that at the town, there's a Pokémon contest there which you can participate in." He said and I nodded my head.

"Sure, I'll go as soon as Ash's battle is over." I told him but Professor Oak shook his head.

"I'm afraid I must insist you leave immediately." I jerked back as my mouth dropped open. "The item I need you to collect for me is actually a Pokémon of very special value to my research. I need you to bring it to a Pokémon centre to transfer it over." Professor Oak requested and I frowned.

"Can't the people who are holding it just transfer it themselves?" I asked but Professor Oak lowered his head.

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple. You see, the Pokémon refuses to listen to anyone, and won't return to its Pokéball. Its trainer has no other choice but to give it away and when I heard about it, I volunteered to take it on, knowing that you would be able to help. With your abilities, you could reach out and calm down the Pokémon to listen to you."

"Professor…I can't just snap my fingers like that, sometimes my aura doesn't even work. I've been losing control over it recently, like it's been going dormant and it only really succeeds in situations of great pressure or danger." I explained to him. "Are you saying this Pokémon is dangerous?"

"It's already put six people in hospital, it's terrorising a forest and many Pokémon are getting hurt by it." He informed me seriously. "The police have managed to cut off any escape route, surrounding the forest however they're running out of time. Sooner or later, that Pokémon is going to blast right through them and start rampaging through the town before moving on to the whole region if we're not careful." I frowned even further.

"Then how come there's been nothing on the news?"

"The media have been kept out of the situation so far as not to alarm citizens nearby, but the Pokémon will soon be able to find its way out and then we'll be in trouble. It seems very angry and no one can figure out why." I took a deep breath then looked up, noticing how troubled Gary seemed.

"Grandpa, are you sure it's a good idea to send Ruby and the gang? They might get hurt." He said but I lifted my head higher, straightening my back.

"No they won't, because I'll go alone. I'll go right now. Only you've got to tell me what kind of Pokémon it is professor, so I know what I'm up against." I told him.

"It's called a Froslass, an ice and ghost dual type. I've sent you the location, it should be easy enough to fly there. Good luck Ruby, I know you'll be fine." Professor Oak smiled at me. "This is exactly the kind of thing you're good at."

"Thanks professor." I said then reached out to hang up.

"No, wait!" Gary called but I'd already ended the call. I didn't need him to tell me how dumb this was. At least this time I'll say goodbye to everyone. I left the Pokémon centre after printing off the location and directions to get there. Good thing Charizard is good with distances. This looks like a lot of ground to cover.

I walked back over to the gym and found everyone hanging outside of Norman's greenhouse, where Nurse Joy was setting up some fireworks. "What's going on?" I asked as everyone greeted me with a wave.

"Dad's got Nurse Joy to make fireworks for mom as her anniversary surprise!" Max said excitedly, grabbing my hand and pulling me over to the table. "Come on! It's about to start." He said so I turned and looked up at the dark sky.

"Okay everyone, here we go!" Nurse Joy called as she stepped back and suddenly, the sky was filled with colour, bursting with every hue until the sparkles formed a Beautifly, glittering like grouped stars before fading out.

"Wow…that's so beautiful!" May gasped as she gazed upwards and I took several photos, smirking to myself as I captured everyone's faces, though Norman and Caroline were looking at each other. Well, I can't tell them now, not in the middle of all this, it's just not fair to ruin everything by telling them that I was leaving again, but I had to get moving now.

"Ruby, are you alright?" Norman asked, picking up on my face to tell I was troubled.

"It's just that…I have to go." I said finally, looking down. "Professor Oak's given me an important assignment, there's a Pokémon in trouble and he needs me to go help out. It's on the warpath and both Pokémon and people are in danger." I revealed and everyone gasped.

"No Ruby, you can't go _again_!" Max said to me, gripping onto my hand. "What about Ash's battle? Where dad's going to beat him, you have to stay to see it!"

"I'm sorry Max, but when it comes to Pokémon in trouble, you know that it takes top priority on my list, no matter how much I wish otherwise." I told him gently then looked to Ash. "You understand, right?"

"Of course I do. We'll all come with you! That way we can get back to my battle and you can all watch me win." Ash smirked confidently though Max whirled around and glared at him.

"My dad's stronger than you are, you're going to lose!"

"No, I'm going to win!"

"Lose!"

"Win!"

"Lose!"

"Win!"

"Enough!" I yelled, shoving my hands into their faces and shoved them apart. "Grow up genius, you should be setting an example." I gave Ash a pointed look. "And no one's coming with me. It's too dangerous and I can't risk any of you being in danger like that." I lowered my head sadly. "You mean too much to me." A comforting hand rested on my shoulder and I looked up at Brock who gave me and even smile.

"You should go, Ruby. That Pokémon needs you right now." Brock said and May nodded her head.

"Yeah, without us getting in your way, you'll come back much faster!" She agreed. "Just promise you'll take care." I gave her a wink.

"You can count on it." Ash reached out and gripped my other shoulder, giving me a confident look.

"Hurry back, or we'll leave you behind, Slowpoke." He smirked a little and I rolled my eyes but nodded my head, reaching up and gripping both their hands.

"Pika…Pikachu Pi." Pikachu said to me so I reached out and lifted him off of Ash's shoulder.

"I'll miss you too little buddy. Take care of Ash now, and don't let your guard down." I whispered to him softly then gave him a hug as he squealed quietly to me. I gave him back to Ash then turned to Max. "Well squirt, I'll be seeing you." I gave a smirk and a wink. "I'll be back in a flash."

"But…I don't like it when you leave. Who's going to protect me from May?" He asked so I chuckled, going over and crouched down to rest a hand on his shoulder. I gave him a long look, keeping my face void of expression for a moment before finally, I drew him in for a hug and he clung onto me tightly. "Please hurry back, and be careful. I don't want you to get hurt." He told me so I nodded my head.

"You too squirt. Make sure you chew before you swallow, just in case you accidentally inhale your food again." I told him as I pulled back. "See you all soon! Good luck Ash, I know you'll be great!"

"Bye Ruby! Take care!" Everyone called back, waving as the fireworks continued to burst in the sky, lighting it up perfectly as I turned and faced north.

"Alright. Hang on Froslass, Ruby Bates is on her way."


	34. Chapter 35

I reached the forest two days later, stopping every so often for a break so that Charizard wouldn't be too tired, alternating between him and Latias. Being an ice type, I may need him to help me control Froslass with his Flamethrower, though equally the effect can be thrown right back at us.

He landed before a squad of police officers, Jenny standing before them all and she turned to face me as Charizard landed. "Are you Ruby? Professor Oak's apprentice?" I nodded my head.

"That's me. Where's Froslass?" I asked and Officer Jenny pointed.

"The Pokémon is located somewhere in these woods. They're not very big, and we've contained it with our psychic Pokémon shield division, trapping it inside but we can't get it to calm down. Its trainer has abandoned it and its beginning to freeze everything it can reach. There's very little time left, it's almost broken through our barrier on the east side." Officer Jenny explained so I nodded my head, returning Charizard.

"I'll do what I can, but I can't promise anything. Do you have its Pokéball Officer Jenny?" She handed it over to me and with a deep breath, stepped through the barrier line, one of the psychic Pokémon dropping its guard to let me through.

Instantly I was blasted with cold, the ground covered in snow and the trees were covered completely in ice, frozen like statues as the mist hung heavily around me. This is…kind of creepy. No wonder they're struggling to contain the Froslass, it seems pretty powerful.

Suddenly I heard an unearthly shriek from deeper within the trees so I moved forwards, feet crunching in the snow as it rose up to my knees but I waded my way through. I noticed a bunch of Swablu and Altaria cowering in some unaffected trees, trembling as they huddled together so I pressed on.

The horrific wail rose up from within the fog once more and as I peered into the thickness, a shadow appeared, cloaked in the white robes of the fog before it disappeared again. Shaking off my shudder I continued to plough forwards, getting colder by the minute.

There were groups of bug Pokémon huddled together, shivering from the cold so I stooped down and picked up a little Wurmple, its tail end frozen solid and I wrapped it in a blanket before spraying some Ice Heal on it, melting it away and the Wurmple instantly snuggled into me. "Wurmple…"

"It's okay, I'm here to help you all." I promised then looked around. All of you stay close together under this blanket, you'll warm up a little that way." I told them, putting the Wurmple down and they instantly flocked together, huddling close to share body heat as I turned and walked a little further into the woods. "Okay Froslass, come on out. I'm not here to hurt you, I just want to help."

A solid wall of anger slammed into me and I balked, almost being tossed back by the fierce emotion before I tried to block it off with my aura, however Froslass's emotion was just too strong. "Froslass…" She hissed, appearing in front of me first as a shadow but as the fog peeled back a little, her image appeared.

She had a white water droplet head, the tip curling slightly at the back and twin ice crystals for ears or horns. Her eyes were icy blue, sending a sudden chill down my spine and the milk white mask of her face also had a diamond cut in the centre of her forehead. Her body was a simple flowing tail, almost like a white kimono with a red sash around her middle, tied into a bow like an obi, with her arms flaring at her wrists.

"Froslass, the Snow Land Pokémon and an evolved form of Snorunt. It freezes its opponents to temperatures nearly minus sixty degrees." My Pokédex supplied me as I flicked it open. So that's what Professor Oak meant by ice type. That's cold.

"Hey Froslass, I'm Ruby." I began, slowly putting my Pokédex away as she glared at me. "I'm not here to hurt you." I told her first of all, trying to establish some sort of trust, however Froslass just shrieked at me.

With a twirl she conjured up Blizzard and hit me with it full force. So that's why everything is covered in snow. I yelped slightly as I was attacked by the icy shards, holding my arms up against my face to protect myself. "Froslass stop it! It's okay, just tell me what's wrong!" I called out over the wind but she wasn't hearing any of it. She hissed angrily at me then formed Shadow Ball, aiming it straight for me.

I dived out the way, blood rushing to my head as I landed in the thick snow and it blanketed my landing as the attack hit a frozen tree and blasted it apart, causing it to begin to fall. I looked up and saw a Pokémon cowering in the snow, shivered and directly in line of the tree. "Look out!" I yelled then charged forwards, finding my footing on top of the snow to run more easily towards the frozen Zigzagoon. With a grunt I grabbed it then rolled, flinging us both out the way of the tree and it crashed into the snow, sending a wave up over us but apart from being colder than before, we were both fine.

"Zigzagoon!" It called gratefully to me then licked my cheek, making me giggle.

"You'd better get out of here and hide." I suggested and it nodded its head before leaping out of my arms and burying into the snow to race away. "Okay Froslass, it's time for you to listen to me." I said loudly, turning around to find she had gone, but I knew she was close by. I punched my fists together irritably, trying not to shiver and I reached out with aura. Or at least, I tried to. "Come on! Work!" Taking a deep breath I calmed myself down, going into a deep meditation until finally, I began to sense more.

I found Froslass easily enough, a few metres away from me, watching, however when she felt me trying to reach out to her, she rebelled and tried to fight me back. "It's alright Froslass, I'm not here to hurt you." I told her and when she felt my honesty, she paused. "All I want is to help you and protect these Pokémon from what you're doing. You're causing their habitat to completely change and it's hurting them." I told her and she relaxed a little, looking around her as if seeing things for the first time. "Just let me in." But she wouldn't.

"Froslass…" She hissed at me, bristling and I could still sense her distrust. "Froslass Fros…"

"I can understand you don't trust humans, but I can promise you that I'm different. I don't abandon my Pokémon, I rescue them." So I showed her memories of Ralts and Kirlia, how we'd come to meet and then memories of my other Pokémon, Vaporeon and Ivysaur, when they were in their pre-evolutionary stage and how I'd given them a new life.

"Froslass?"

"That's right. They're my friends." I nodded my head, finally opening my eyes to look at her. "Now just tell me, why are you so angry?" Froslass lowered her head then moved closer until we were face to face, my eyes looking directly into hers. "Maybe I can help you make things better?" But she shook her head.

"Froslass…" She said to me then reached out a hand, curling her fingers until one of them touched my forehead and I realised she was allowing me to see. Her trainer was always in shadow, unable to depict his features however I heard his voice often enough.

 _"You're weak, Snorunt, you can't even win a battle against Pokémon you have an advantage over!"_ He sounded mean, I didn't like him. _"You leave me no choice, I'll have to evolve you."_ But Froslass hadn't wanted to evolve, she was happy as a Snorunt and she didn't like to battle. She was afraid of getting hurt. All she wanted was to just be friends with her trainer but it never got to that part. _"Now, take this and evolve, we'll see if you become stronger and worthwhile to keep."_ He'd used a Dawn Stone which had evolved Snorunt into Froslass, but still she just couldn't battle the way her trainer ordered her to.

I saw them up against another shadowed trainer and his Pokémon, a Bagon, however they were almost easily defeated and the trainer was enraged at Froslass. _"You pitiful Pokémon. I'm done with you."_ He'd tried to get Froslass to return, however that was the breaking point. The moment when she'd had enough. She went berserk, attacking him and everything around her before fleeing into the forest where the humans had come to surround her, making her even angrier than before.

"I get it now. You're not happy because you were treated so badly by your trainer, and he forced you to evolve when you weren't ready." I said and without thinking, reached out and placed my hand on Froslass's head, making her blink in surprise at me. "And I do mean I understand, I felt everything you did and I promise, I won't let it happen again. I have a friend, called Professor Oak. He'd like to meet you and make some studies about you to help with his research, but he owns a lot of land where you can roam freely and be at peace. Even then, if you're not happy there, I can help you find somewhere new to live where you'll be safe, maybe up in the mountains with other ice types just like you? There'll be plenty of snow theer." I suggested and Froslass lifted her head.

"Froslass?"

"I promise. I'll help you to do whatever you want. You're free now, so you don't have to worry about that jerk trainer of yours." Froslass pulled back slightly, thinking it over. "Or if you're not ready to go to the professor, you can travel with me for a while." I offered her. "It'll be fun, I take part in these things called Pokémon contests. In the first round, a coordinator uses their Pokémon's attacks to look as appealing as possible to the audience, then you get scored on how well you've done."

Froslass looked at me again then drifted around in a circle, sizing me up whilst still unsure of what to do so I gave her some time, though I was becoming colder by the minute. Finally Froslass faced me with a determined expression then nodded her head. "Froslass!"

"Great, here, I have your Pokéball here." I said and lifted it out but the moment Froslass saw it, she flew forwards and knocked it out of my hand with a whip of her tailing body, sending it flying towards an ice tree and it shattered upon impact. "Hey! But…oh. You want to battle me." I realised and she nodded her head. "Well in that case, I choose Jigglypuff!" I decided and sent her out with a smile. "Come on Jigglypuff, it's show time!"

"Jiggly!" Jigglypuff called, twirling as she made her entrance then inflated her body to float to the ground. The moment she touched the snow, however, she clutched at her body and shivered, trembling against the cold as she mirrored me exactly, huddled against the snowstorm. "Jigglypuff Puff!"

"Jigglypuff, use Ice Beam!" I pointed towards Froslass and Jigglypuff instantly nodded her head, jumping up into the air.

"Jigglypuff!" With that she blasted her Ice Beam at Froslass who spun out of the way, avoiding it before forming Shadow Ball. "Jigglypuff." She answered, staying still and as the Shadow Ball hit her, it disappeared in a puff of smoke, making Froslass blink in surprise.

"Jigglypuff is a normal type Pokémon, so ghost moves like that aren't going to work." I told her with a competitive smile. "Jigglypuff, use Ice Beam again!" Jigglypuff jumped forwards and this time, the ice attack landed head on, causing Froslass to fly backwards but she quickly recovered herself, the move having very little effect as she glided around then used Hidden Power, the orbs flying around her body before channelling towards Jigglypuff. "Dodge it!" Jigglypuff leaped out of the way, bouncing off a tree as Froslass began to fire off one Hidden Power after another, chasing after Jigglypuff until finally, she got in close range and pressed her mouth to Jigglypuff, giving her a kiss which instantly caused Jigglypuff to cry out, a red glow shining around her as her energy was sapped by Froslass. "Draining Kiss huh? Well we'll see about that. Jigglypuff, use Sing!" I ordered so Jigglypuff closed her eyes and began to sing aloud.

Froslass blinked in surprise as she grew tired but tried to fight it off by using Blizzard, sending the powerful wave at Jigglypuff who continued to sing her sweet melody, unbothered by the ice until it really started to get nasty, causing her to have to fight against it but thankfully, Froslass was already asleep.

"Great job Jigglypuff, now return! Go, Pokéball!" I called and sent out one of my own Pokéballs, watching as it bounced off of Froslass then drew her in, sound asleep. The Pokéball dropped in the snow and the red light flashed, guiding me towards it as I fought against the Blizzard which continued to rage, forming icicles on my clothes before finally, I reached the Pokéball just as it clicked shut. "Alright…I just caught…a Froslass…" I shivered, teeth clattered together as I gave a weak celebration.

I began moving forwards to try and find my way out, but my eyes began to slide shut of their own accord, my body freezing in place as the chill went to my bones and pain began to dance up my fingers. With shaking breath I tried to force my feet to move, but my knees buckled and gave out beneath me and I landed face first in the snow.

Knowing I was in danger, I tried to force myself to carry on, but before I knew it, I was surrounded by darkness and I couldn't even see one snowflake. I began to dream of home, seeing my parents and Professor Oak, all standing with my Pokémon with Delia, Ash, Emily and even Gary. I waved and tried to run to them, but the more I ran the further they seemed to stretch away from me.

Several times I tried to cry out, begging them not to leave me, calling for Ash and Gary, telling them I was sorry for all the mean things until the ground caved beneath me and I screamed, falling into a big dark pit as Team Rocket loomed over me, their faces consuming the entire sky as they laughed, reaching their hands and paw down to grab me as I screamed again.

"Be calm little one, it's alright." A soft voice murmured and I gasped sharply, feeling the hand touch my brow and I awoke, however I was instantly calmed and all the stress disappeared from my body, laying there quietly. "There, that's better." I was no longer cold, in fact I was very warm and I was in a hut, wrapped up in thick blankets and there was a bowl beside me, empty but still hot so I guess I must have been fed by this kind man. "You've had a rough day, little one."

"Ruby." I whispered hoarsely and I finally found the man in front of me. He looked…familiar somehow. Messy black hair and accented jaw, but he had deep blue eyes. Strange, I feel as if I should know him.

"Ruby." He nodded his head, but somehow I got the feeling he already knew my name. "And I'm Sam. This is my good friend and trusted companion Lucario." I looked to his left and saw a long snouted blue and black Pokémon, standing upright with paws, a beige chest and intense reddish brown eyes which were warm and reassuring. Somehow this Pokémon also felt familiar to me, as if we'd met before, though a long time ago and maybe even in a dream that I've since forgotten. "We found you in the snow."

"Is it…gone?" I asked and he frowned at me as I sat up, finding my own voice again. "The snow, it needs to be melted away so that the Pokémon can be treated."

"Oh yes. The snow is being dealt with and a team of Nurses are inspecting the Pokémon as we speak. Officer Jenny wanted to take you to a hospital, but I assured her I could take care of you. You were lucky I happened to be around when I was." I frowned at him.

"Those woods were blocked off by a psychic guard division. You couldn't have just wandered in." He chuckled, reaching out and patting my shoulder gently before resting his hand there.

"You don't miss a trick, do you Ruby?"

"It comes from travelling around with Ash." I said to him blankly. "You have to stay on your toes." He chuckled again and I warmed to him slightly, feeling that the laugh brought me comfort. I looked to Lucario who nodded his head to me once, giving a soft smile. "Your Lucario…I've never seen this Pokémon before. Does it come from this region?" I asked but Sam shook his head.

"No. I raised Lucario from an egg. Lucario come from the Sinnoh, Unova and Kalos region, though only in certain parts." He informed and I smiled, lifting a hand and reached out to Lucario, but I paused and then looked at it closely, seeking its permission.

Lucario nodded his head to I reached out and touched his snout, making me smile as I leaned closer then began to gently rub the soft fur of its head. "You're beautiful." I told it and it gave a small smile before its body glowed with a soft blue tint which quickly disappeared again. My hand whipped back instinctively as I felt a wave of thanks wash over me subtly, realising what it was. "You…you can use aura?"

"Of course. Lucario is the aura Pokémon. Most if not all aura guardians have a Lucario with them. Together they can train to fully develop their skills and the Lucario are formidable battlers. They are both fighting and steel type, you know." Wow, that's so cool!

"Wait, you mean _you're_ an aura guardian too?" I questioned him. "Is that how you found me?"

"Of course. You have quite a strong aura, Ruby. It's no wonder you were able to calm down that Froslass, and even some of your other Pokémon. Your Charizard and Jigglypuff are quite proud Pokémon, but earning the trust of a Latias only through your aura? Now that's remarkable." Okay…how does he know about my Pokémon? "I can sense their auras." He answered me. Okay, that was freaky, how'd he do that? "Sorry if I alarmed you, I'm very in tune with my aura and sometimes can't help but feel others around me."

"Oh…that's okay I guess." I said but then my eyes widened. "If you're an aura guardian, then you can teach me!"

"Teach you? I can't teach you, Ruby. Aura is different for everyone, you have to discover it for yourself." Instantly my heart sank. Dang it. Looks like I'm back at square one.

"Lu. Lucario." Lucario suddenly spoke and Sam looked at him. "Lucario."

"Lucario? You think so? I suppose we can help with the basics. After all, everyone needs a little bit of a push." Sam said, reaching up and scratching the bristly beard around his chin and mouth as I looked up hopefully. "Very well, we'll show you how to call upon your aura at will. I sense that yours is a little unruly."

"Yeah, sometimes I can't even do anything with it." I admitted with a blush, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Aura is something that cannot be controlled just with a snap of your fingers, Ruby, it's something that has to be trained and mastered. It's like a reflection of your personality, so assuming you yourself don't like to be told what to do, you must work on finding the link between yourself and your more powerful side. Merge yourself until you are one." That sounds hard. How am I supposed to merge with myself if I am myself? "I know it sounds complicated."

"No problem! I'll just keep on practicing until I get it right!" I declared, flinging my blankets back and jumped out of bed, however the moment my feet hit the floor my knees refused to support my wait and I collapsed, however both Sam and Lucario move fast, reaching out and grabbing me to hold me upright.

"Easy now, you're still in shock from the cold you endured. Take it slow." Sam told me in a soft, fatherly voice and I couldn't help but feel like I know it from somewhere.

"Thanks." I said to him but then I blinked. "Wait! How long have I been asleep?" I asked and Sam counted.

"Two days." That means the Pokémon contest is tomorrow!

"Uh oh, I have to get to town! The Pokémon contest, I need to register and think of a routine for Jigglypuff to earn a third ribbon! But wait, maybe I should ask if Froslass would like to be entered, I did say it was what I did and she might like to give it a go…" I babbled but Sam gave me an odd look.

"You're a coordinator?" He spoke with a slight scorn and disapproval which instantly made me bristle and lift my chin proudly.

"And what's wrong with that?" I demanded hotly, making him blink and arch an eyebrow.

"With all your talents as an aura guardian, you choose to use it to show off on a stage with your Pokémon rather than train and battle hard?" His voice was now starting to really bug me. Coordinating isn't just a breeze you know! It requires hours of hard work and a close bond between you and your Pokémon.

"So what if I do? I love coordinating, it's fun and it brings me closer to my Pokémon who like to perform. And for the record, I am still a trainer, I'll be going back to battling for gym badges after I'd had a shot at this, unless I decide to carry on with both which, for your information, I may choose to do anyway." Folding my arms I turned my head away proudly. "Besides, your opinion doesn't matter. Thank you for your hospitality and good day." I finalised, rising to my feet and held my ground before walking towards the door.

"Wait, Ruby please." Sam called after me, rising up from his seat but I opened the door. Suddenly Lucario was standing in front of me, using his paw to slam the door shut again, shaking his head. "I'm sorry if I offended you, I just thought…you looked more like a trainer than a coordinator. I apologise." Well, since he apologised, I guess I have to forgive him. So I nodded my head, signalling I accepted his apology.

"I would like to leave now." I said but Sam arched an eyebrow.

"Don't you want help mastering your aura?" Drat. I'd almost forgotten about that. What should I do? If I stay here to train, I won't have time to choreograph a routine for the contest and we may even miss the enrolment altogether at this rate, but aura…it fascinated me. "So, which would you rather do? Train with me, or go enter some pointless Pokémon show." My hands clenched tightly into fists.

"I may want to master my aura, but like you said. You have to find your own way to get there. You couldn't help me, despite you liking the thought that you could." I turned around and faced him, giving him a close inspection. "You're hiding something from me, I can sense it. You're keeping something important to yourself, I can feel the guilt building up inside you. Well, forget it. Thanks for saving me, but I'm afraid I don't like your attitude, so I'm out of here." I declared, turning and faced Lucario. "Now please, let me pass." Lucario looked closely at me, glanced to his trainer then sighed.

He stepped back and let me open the door, but just before I stepped out into the warm sun, I felt his paw touch my shoulder and I turned to see him offering me something. It was a toy figurine, one carved from wood of a Lucario and I stared at it, somehow feeling happy to see it. Like a child would feel happy to have found a lost toy.

This is getting creepy. Lucario gave a soft growl, gesturing that I should take it so I picked it up, seeing the worn wood and tiny teeth marks where someone must have once chewed it a long time ago. "Thank you Lucario." I said, giving a puzzled frown before quickly leaving.

The moment I left that hut, I felt a deep pain in my chest as I felt like I was moving away from a key element of my life. This is very creepy, I don't like it. Who _is_ that guy exactly? How do I know him? Maybe he was a friend of mom's or something that used to come visiting.

Forget about it Ruby, you've got a contest to focus on. You can get your third ribbon, then it's off to find Ash and the others. Shouldn't be too hard.


	35. Chapter 36

"Okay, come on out…Jigglypuff! Froslass!" I cheered, standing in a large park where the grass was thick and the space allowed me to safely practice a routine for the contest which I had only just managed to enter before the deadline. It was a close call. When both my Pokémon appeared I smiled to them, letting them wake themselves up for an early morning start but Jigglypuff instantly beamed and flung herself into my arms, making me laugh as I caught her. "Hey there, I love you too." I giggled, snuggling into her soft body before she jumped up to perch on my head as Froslass looked around her curiously. "Well Froslass, welcome to the team!"

"Froslass Fross." She murmured, touching a finger to her mouth and tilting her head to the side as she looked at Jigglypuff and I.

"You see, we're entered in a coordinating contest and I want you to partner with me. It's completely your decision to make, but I would love it if you'd let me train with you." I told her excitedly, barely able to keep from grinning. "I think with your grace and hauntingly beautiful moves, we'll take the world by storm! So what do you say? You fancy giving it a go?" I offered then stretched out my hand to my newest team member.

Froslass looked at me in genuine confusion and I could see the thoughts running through her mind before she relaxed, nodding her head and placing her tiny hand upon my finger in acceptance, making my beam extend even further. "Awesome! Thank you Froslass, I promise not to let you down! Now, Jigglypuff is my most experienced performer, so she's going to help us practice okay? First things first though…" All at once I flung out a blanket and put down a large basket of food, throwing up my fists in celebration. "It's picnic time! Come on out everyone!"

My other Pokéballs burst open, revealing Latias, Ralts, Kirlia and Charizard who cheered with me as I began to unpack the food for them all. "Settle down now everyone, wait your turns! There's plenty for everyone and I have all your favourites." I assured them, creating a rather ridiculous scene as Latias spun in a fast rotation in the air to express her anticipation for a picnic, Jigglypuff still sitting on my head though now she was wearing my hat whilst Charizard lazed on his side, completely chill as his tail provided the campfire. Ralts climbed into my lap and snuggled himself there, clinging on close to me as Kirlia practiced her dancing, spinning around as she waited and even picked herself some flowers, making them into a chain before wearing them on her head like a crown.

I sensed Ralts blushing so I tickled him teasingly, laughing as he stared openly at Kirlia who began to make flower chains for everyone, making us all wear them though she had a tough time getting Charizard to wear his, but a little winsome pleading worked well on that softie. I should know. Kirlia even made a crown for Froslass, levitating herself up into the air with Psychic so that she could put it on her head before smiling, greeting her warmly before returning to us all.

Froslass watched us in silent awe, seeing the bonds we shared as clear as day and when I sensed her isolation, I called out to her. "Hey Froslass, come join us! I have herbal teas here too that I think you'll like and I've even been working on a new recipe for pokéblocks that I think you'll like. Please, come try some!" Slightly nervous she drifted forwards, glancing around before she elegantly settled herself down opposite me and instantly Latias flew to her side, nuzzling her face in greeting to make her feel welcome before she zipped away to fly over the park invisibly, transforming her appearance so that she wouldn't draw attention to herself.

I carefully arranged her plate, knowing that she was a Pokémon who appreciated cleanliness and tradition from what I had read from her aura. Once she had a plate of food I poured her a cup of tea which I had boiled on Charizard's tail, giving each other a smile before we all shared in a cup of fruity tea to boost our energy. "Froslass!" She gasped after she'd tasted some of her special Pokémon food before daintily eating some more.

"I'm glad you like it, there's plenty more so help yourself." I invited her before seeing to everyone else's needs, filling their plates and setting out the snacks before I too tucked in. There was plenty of laughter and play at the picnic, Latias shooting about the place whilst I tossed food up into the air for either her to catch or for Charizard to snatch with his big greedy mouth and I snapped up the pictures as the moments passed, grinning from ear to ear. I think Froslass was a little overwhelmed at first, unused to the familiarity I felt with my Pokémon considered who she'd had to deal with as her previous trainer. I didn't blame her for being nervous. "Alright, how about we check out what moves you know." I smiled to her before pulling out my Pokédex, opening the information and selected the move file.

Froslass knew only a few moves, however I was confident that I could use them effectively and even teach her something knew by the time the day of the contest came. All it needed was practice, trust and faith. "Okay. So your move set is; Blizzard, Ominous Wind, Hidden Power, Will-O-Wisp, Shadow Ball and Draining Kiss. This is perfect! We're sure to take things to a whole new level. Jigglypuff! Kirlia! I'm counting on you to help support Froslass. Charizard, Latias, Ralts, make sure you cheer for us." I grinned at them before leaping to my feet, Froslass rising also as she levitated in the air.

"Jigglypuff!"

"Kirl Kirlia!"

"Froslass…"

"La! Latias La!" Charizard just yawned then rolled over onto his side to snooze, instantly making me complain at him for his lack of enthusiasm and that this was no time to be taking a nap. He was such a brute sometimes.

"Tsk, never mind. Just keep an eye out, okay Charizard? Prepare to be amazed. First things first, let's have a warm up. Froslass, I want you to copy my movements okay? We're going to do a couple of stretches. Jigglypuff, Kirlia and Ralts You join in too!" Running over to a space to face my Pokémon I started to guide them through some stretches so that their muscles were warmed up, however I noticed how with whatever movement I made, Froslass always made it seem incredibly graceful, almost like a dance. Instantly ideas began to fill my mind however I kept them quiet for the moment.

Once we were all warmed up I had Froslass demonstrate her moves for me, going through each one before I started to discuss it with Jigglypuff whilst Ralts and Kirlia perched on my shoulders. "She's a natural, don't you think Jigglypuff?"

"Jiggly." She nodded her head serious, arms folded in agreement before suddenly she puffed her cheeks with a trumpet, turning on me angrily. "Jiggly Jigglypuff Puff! Puff Puff Jigglypuff!"

"Jigglypuff! Calm down." I soothed her, kneeling down and rubbed her head with a smile as she tried to remain angry. "I'm not replacing you at all, I just want Froslass to enjoy herself whilst she's here with us. Besides, you need to rest every once in a while so that you can always perform at your very best. You don't want to get overtired now, do you?" Jigglypuff paused for a moment, looking away in thought before she nodded her head in acceptance.

"Puff."

"Good! Glad that's settled. Now Froslass, I've already thought through a routine which I think you're going to like, so listen to my carefully." To help I set up a blackboard, wearing a teacher's robe and glasses whilst chalking out the plan, tapping the board with a pointer as my Pokémon, acting as my students, listened and studied attentively. I treated it like a game, though remaining perfectly serious at the same time, I wanted Froslass to enjoy herself as much as possible so that she could feel at ease with us, as even now she shrank back from my touch every now and again.

It was strange but I seemed to grow more and more attuned to how she was feeling the more time I spent with her. Part of it was probably my aura as I seemed to be able to hone it on my own the more I focused on her feelings and my will to connect with her. She spent very little time in her Pokéball, choosing instead to drift around with me whenever we weren't training so that she could see the city, so I took her sightseeing so that she could get a better idea of life outside of training and working.

"Over here is the Pokémon Centre, I'm sure you know about that but just in case, I'll give you a quick crash course." I babbled to her as she floated by my side as we stood in front of the Pokémon Centre. "Here is where we trainers bring our Pokémon to be healed and rested with the help of Nurse Joy, who's always a very lovely and kind person. Always someone you can trust no matter where you are." I said before beginning to move on. "Over here is the bowling alley and that there is an arcade though I'm not allowed in because I'm underage, but my mom warned me that they can be quite addictive and make you lose all your money."

"Froslass…" She breathed eerily as she looked around her before pointing. "Froslass?"

"That looks like a shopping mall. Shall we go take a look? I think there are some sales going on!" Instantly I was running forwards and Froslass glided to keep up, weaving in and out of people as I led her into the huge shopping mall where we instantly began to check out all the shops. I liked the little souvenir places and sweet shops, trying out all the tasters until my mouth was drooling from all the sweetness, though it became apparent that Froslass preferred sour and bitter things to sweet.

She really enjoyed going through all the clothes, rather excitedly floating from rail to rail and began to toss clothes into my arms until I held a huge pile in my arms, struggling under the weight before she then pushed me towards the changing rooms. "You want me to try on _all_ of these clothes?!" I squeaked as she firmly pushed me inside. "Okay, it might take a while though." I warned her but she gave me a small smile before closing the curtains. Alright, guess I can't back out now.

I changed into the different outfits, modelling them for Froslass who either nodded her head in approval or shook her head according to whether she liked them or not. Though this typically wasn't my thing, I soon found myself to be having fun. "What about this one?" I called out, throwing back the curtain and revealing myself in a rather smart tuxedo, wearing the tailed jacket, dress shirt, waistcoat and even a top hat on my head, holding a cane in my other as I gave a little tap with my shoes, laughing as I twirled but Froslass shook her head, unimpressed. "Okay, not to your taste. Let's try…this one!"

After a quick change I stepped back out in a large beach hat, sunglasses and a pure white sundress which came to my knees, delicately laced around the hems and instantly Froslass was nodding, rising up and clapping her hands in approval as I struck a pose. "Froslass! Froslass Fross!"

"I'm glad! I actually rather like it too." I beamed before trying to look over my shoulder to the price tag. "I wonder how much it costs." Froslass drifted closer, helping to turn over the price tag and we both took a look. The moment we saw the four digit price, we hurriedly took everything off and escaped before we could be accused of wasting time trying on clothes without intent to buy. "That was close. Did you see the price of that dress? It's a total bummer! That was the first dress I've ever really liked. You have amazing taste, Froslass, I'm going to take you on all shopping trips from now on." I beamed at her and she smiled back with an expression of elated relief and joy.

"Froslass!" She gave a twirl for me, floating around me in circles as I laughed as we left the mall.

"Come on, I want to show you the stage where you'll be performing tomorrow." Instantly I sensed Froslass become immobile with nerves so I reached out and rubbed her head, working circles to calm her as I smiled. "Hey there's no need to be afraid because you won't be alone. I'll be right there with you every step of the way. Come on, just trust me." Trust. That word seemed to strike a chord with Froslass, however as I held out my hand to her she slowly reached out, beginning to glow with a strange warmth inside as her aura flickered a little brighter, appearing in my mind's eye as she wrapped her tiny hand around me finger and floated along with me as I ran to the contest arena.

As we walked towards the stage I explained to her how everything worked and the pointing system, making sure that she knew the details inside and out before finally we stood in the middle of the stage. Immediately she halted, looking around her unblinkingly before shrinking back slightly. "Don't be afraid. I know it looks daunting now but it's really not so bad." I told her softly as I came to her side and looked out across the sea of empty seats. "Tomorrow they'll all be filled with people, but you shouldn't feel nervous about that either. After all, they've come to see how beautiful you are, and that's something that can be proven just by looking at you."

"Froslass?"

"Of course I think so. You don't need any fancy moves or routines to show your potential, I can see it inside you. You're very compassionate and naturally quite shy, however your temperament makes you graceful and refined, someone who appreciates the little pleasures in life. Though you're an ice and ghost type, your aura is very warm, like a little ray of sunshine and it makes me smile every time I look at you." Touching my hand to my chest I gave a twirl, spreading out my other hand in gesture to the audience. "Performing on stage is daunting at first, but if you like it then you'll enjoy it every time after that!"

"Froslass, Fross Froslass."

"Exactly. Everyone gets stage fright, even I feel nervous about going out on stage but that's why I rely on Jigglypuff so much. She makes me feel fearless because that's what she is. I'll tell you what Froslass, I'll make you a deal." I said to her, turning with a smile to look back at her over my shoulder. "If ever you feel frightened or unsure, just look at me. We'll help each other out, I'm betting that together, we can absolutely take on the opposition, no doubt about it!"

"Froslass!" Suddenly Froslass was psyched, giving a spin before she took to the centre stage, taking a deep breath before she started to practice her routine, giving it everything she had with flairs of artistic beauty, getting herself used to the stage and the spacing until she was comfortable. Once she was done she turned to face me, wearing the brightest smile I had ever seen from her as she spread out her arms. "Froslass!"

"You betcha, there isn't anything or anyone who can stand in our way." I winked at her in agreement before my stomach growled, signalling that it was probably time to eat.


	36. Chapter 37

Taking a deep breath I waited behind the curtain, hearing the crowds cheering and whistling just on the other side as the coordinator who had just finished their performance stepped off stage with Vivien's commentating saying farewell. It was my turn next. Was Froslass ready for this? Perhaps I had rushed into this a little too quickly, after all she'd only just been abandoned by her previous owner and this might be too overwhelming for her.

No, I cannot afford to doubt myself now. Or Froslass. I must have absolute and complete faith in her or I'd might as well go home now! "And so, allow me to introduce our next aspiring coordinator, all the way from Kanto, Pallet Town, Ruby!" Sucking in a breath the curtains drew back and I walked out onto the stage, remaining as calm as possible.

"Alright. It's show time." I whispered to the Pokéball before I tossed it outward. "Let's go, Froslass!" Immediately she appeared with a bowed head, one of her arms lifted so that her sleeves covered the lower half of her face, making her appear mysterious and almost coy to the crowds. Perfect entry! They were already cheering like crazy!

"Fross? Froslass!" Suddenly Froslass froze in place, staring at the people in front of her with a spike of terror and a haunting silence fell in the contest hall as I gulped. Oh no, she's frozen in place! I could literally see her trembling, frightened by the prospect of so many people watching her.

"It's alright Froslass. I'm right here with you. Every step of the way." I reminded her softly, tilting my hat in a nod to her as she managed to look back at me. Our eyes met and slowly, Froslass began to relax as I gave a cocky smirk, pretending to be completely over confident despite the fact that I too was nervous to be out here. "You and me. We'll do this together."

"Fross." She nodded before beginning to sway, humming like a charm as her graceful dance like movements drew an awed sound from the audience.

"Okay, Froslass, time to use Ominous Wind!" I called out, punching the air and Froslass complied, forming a large wind of dark matter which she then surrounded herself in as she spun around, dancing among the folds as everyone's eyes widened. "Will-O-Wisp!" Balls of purple flames burst into life one by one like a match being struck, floating around Froslass who had stilled, though she now guided the flames so that they danced around her slowly and hypnotically as she moved her sleeved arms with them.

"An amazing display of spooky beauty, the balance of the two contrasts are quite astonishing!" Vivien whispered, almost afraid to break the trance as the light dimmed on stage, leaving Froslass looking more eerie and ghostly as she floated among the drapes of her Ominous Wind, surrounded by balls of dark fire like little sprites.

"Good Froslass, now show everyone your Hidden Power." With an incline of her head Froslass began to spin, Hidden Power circling around her in a ring of white orbs which she melted into the Will-O-Wisp, causing them to fuse into burning white and purple flames before they clashed together, causing large bursts of light in repetitive booms which shot across Froslass's features, as she pulled a scary expression, spreading her arms wide as the Ominous Wind rose upwards like a wave then crashed down upon her with a slam, causing the entire audience to scream in terror as the sharp accents of her horns and mouth intensified by the lights as she dipped in and out of shadow, displaying her terrifying beauty before all at once, everything returned to normal and she bowed gracefully.

"Incredible! Ladies and gentlemen, a stunning display of the art of ghost Pokémon demonstrated by the imaginative Ruby Bates and her Pokémon Froslass!" Vivien praised as the crowds suddenly went wild, jumping up in their seats as Froslass stared in shock, completely surprised by their reaction as I beamed.

"Froslass you did it! Your debut was perfect, I'm so proud of you!" I cheered for her however when she did not turn around my smile faltered, stopping in my tracks as I looked at her. "Froslass?" All at once Froslass spun around, revealing eyes full of tears as she beamed, spreading her arms wide and flew straight for me.

"Froslass!" My smile quickly returned as I opened my arms and accepted her into my embrace, feeling unquestionably happy that our bond of trust had finally been embedded in iron. So this was another way to bond with Pokémon, through performance. I knew it. I knew it would be a worthwhile adventure and there were still so many more yet to come. I could not wait.

"I love you Froslass." She sobbed harder into me, tears flowing until she had calmed down and I managed to get her to turn and wave one last time to the audience before we left the stage, allowing for the next contestant to take their place. I was so proud of her I could not keep from talking, blabbering on and on about how incredible she had looked out there as she soaked up the praise, rubbing her head into my cheek happily at my praising.

We easily placed for the next rounds so we prepared for our matchups. I had watched the other participants carefully so when I received my opponent pairing I instantly knew what I was up against. There was no one I recognised here and in some ways that was better as there was less pressure to beat them. I could focus solely on doing my best for myself and Froslass.

"You ready?" I asked and she nodded her head to me before I returned her to her Pokéball, allowing her to rest as the first battles were underway. In terms of battles I already had an abundance of experience in comparison to most of the rest of these coordinators. The majority of them were young, freshly starting out and their Pokémon were likewise, so with my own opponent I was able to turn the tides against them with Froslass, keeping them from landing any hits with a defensive approach before putting in my own attacks at the last minute for an explosive finish which allowed me through to the next round. It was all about strategy and trust, both of which we had mapped out to the letter.

Froslass and I progressed until we reached the finals where we faced off with another girl who had a rather stern look on her face, a slight sneer as if she were looking down on us. Gwendolyn. She had dark brown hair pulled into twin ponytails with glossy curls, an elegant red dress with a smart white collar and black bow. Just looking at her appearance and the way she was looking at me, she reminded me too much of Sophia Winthrop and that just pissed me off.

"Froslass, its show time!" I called, tossing out the Pokéball to place her on stage first so that she could settle.

"Hm. What a drag. Alright then, come my champion upon wings of glory to smite the enemy. Manectric!" She trilled before sending out her own Pokémon who appeared with a snarl, electricity crackling off its fur before giving a fierce bite of its jaw, large sparks jumping from its fangs and instantly the crowd oohed whilst Froslass backed up slightly.

"Don't worry about a thing, just trust in me and everything will be great, I have total faith in you." I reassured her and my words seemed to calm her a little whilst Vivien gave the pleasantries, introducing us both and our Pokémon before finally, the match started.

"We'll take the first move. Manectric, use Discharge!" Gwendolyn ordered with a snap of her fingers and the Manectric bounced forwards, tensing its body before large bolts of electricity shot outwards then redirected straight towards Froslass.

"Dodge it." She quickly spiralled out of the way, weaving in and out of the bolts to keep from them making contact and the elegant movements ate away at my opponent's points.

"Not so fast, it's not like I'm going to let you get away. Manectric, use Thunder Fang." With another snap of her fingers Manectric suddenly appeared behind Froslass, moving so quickly that I had almost missed the attack as Froslass jolted.

"Hidden Power!" Immediately the rings of glowing orbs appeared around Froslass in a defensive barrier, giving her time to pull back slightly however Manectric bit down into one of the orbs and crushed it, making it burst prettily into a fizzle of light as Froslass quickly drew back as he continued to close in on her. "Now Froslass!" Before she could even launch the attack, however, Manectric clamped down and pumped her full with lightning, the attack causing her to cry out before she dropped down after being released. "Froslass!"

"Is that's all you got? Must say I'm very disappointed, I expected at least a little more of a challenge even though it's such a pathetic Pokémon. You should trade it away immediately to save yourself the embarrassment." Gwendolyn said to me and I grit my teeth, clenching a fist tightly as I seethed before looking to Froslass.

"Froslass, I know you have it in you, just take a deep breath and try to get up, even if it's just for one moment longer!" Froslass tried, pushing herself up a little more and levitated above the ground but only by a foot. Gwendolyn tittered her tongue shaking her head so that her large hair swished from side to side.

"Dear me, this won't do. Manectric, use Discharge again. Make sure to let yourself shine." She ordered and instantly Manectric barrelled forwards, slamming straight into Froslass and tossed her back as she was struck by the electricity. "Now Bite." I watched as the attacks kept on coming, though each time they were used in a different way to show off her Pokémon's power whilst my points continued to deplete and Froslass became more and more injured.

"Froslass no! Don't hurt her, just wait a second this is too much!" I pleaded however as Manectric began a Thunder attack, I threw all of my emotion into my aura and reached out to Froslass. "Please. GET UP!" Suddenly filled with my spirit, sensing my desperation to protect her, Froslass rose back up into the air and with a yell, used Hidden Power.

The orbs flurried around her into a ring of white which she hurled at Manectric, trapping him inside before they exploded, causing him to howl and the Thunder attack failed as Froslass seethed in front of me, sharing my anger as fresh determination and power surged through her from a place she never knew she could reach deep within her. "Good work, now, use Will-O-Wisp!" Obeying my command Froslass danced around, spinning with her fluttering sleeves adding to the serenity of her movements before she powered the fireballs of purple straight at Manectric, burning him upon impact as Gwendolyn's jaw dropped.

"No way! I was sure that thing was done for! Ugh, I can't lose now, I _can't_ , I'm on a winning streak! Manectric, shake off that burn and use Discharge!"

"Counter with a rally of Shadow Balls, go!"

"Froslass Lass!" Froslass spread her arms wide and instantly a rapid fire of Shadow Balls shot from her, filling the area in front of her with the dark balls of deep purple and black before she hurled them forwards as Manectric used Discharge. With each bolt of lightning Froslass countered with a Shadow Ball, causing it to explode in a bright firework of brilliance and the blast forced me to hold up my arms to try and brace myself against it. "Awesome! Now we're getting the hang of things. Use Ominous Wind and combine with Blizzard!"

"A combination? No way!" Gwendolyn squeaked as Froslass followed my instructions, calling forth a dark wind which became amassed with a powerful storm of snow which she stood unaffected in, gracefully hovering as Manectric took the full force of the attack whilst flames erupted around him where he had been burned, adding to the damage. Time was running out, I had to finish this fast.

"Alright, great work there Froslass, let's wrap this up for good. Use Hidden Power to clear the stage!" Summoning her attack she blasted the area with a bright white light which blossomed intensely, even making the stage shack as the wind and blizzard cancelled out and cleared away once the light dimmed, however it left the stage glittering with snowflakes and tiny particles of shimmering dust which Froslass basked in, making the audience cheer wildly for the beautiful use of her moves which I had incorporated and Gwendolyn's points suffered for it, erasing them completely and with time still to spare. "Amazing Froslass, you were born for this kind of thing." I praised her as we were named the winners.

She came flying straight towards me, making me laugh as I caught her hands and spun around with her excitedly before we hugged one another tightly. "You should be so proud of yourself Froslass, you proved your last trainer so wrong. So completely wrong. You're incredibly strong, you just lacked faith in yourself."

"Froslass…Froslass…" She was pretty roughed up and extremely exhausted, however the radiating light of her aura was too warm and enchanting to ignore as I leaned into her, holding her close to me. I'm so proud. As we received our ribbon as our prize, Froslass gave a little celebratory dance before we slung an arm around one another, beaming for the photo for the records before we were allowed to go and celebrate together, after I'd taken Froslass to see Nurse Joy of course.

I held a party for all my Pokémon, making a bonfire and danced with music for most of the night, snacking on food and playing games until we all fell down with exhaustion, camping out under the stars with Froslass and my other Pokémon all curled into me, bundled under a blanket with Charizard's large frame forming our tent, warm and comfortable in each other's embrace.


	37. Chapter 38

After a long talk with Froslass she had decided to go and stay with the Professor for a while as a means of a holiday. She had told me that she was satisfied with her one victory and had enough pride in herself to last a lifetime, or at least in so many words. In any case, I was sad to let her go to the professor but he assured me I could call her back any time I needed her.

So with Froslass safely with Professor Oak, now a completely changed Pokémon, I could focus on finding my way back to Ash and the others. In my call to the professor he'd informed me that after Ash's victory at the Petalburg City gym against Norman, they were now moving on to Ash's next gym battle and stopping off for May's next contest.

He sent me reports on Froslass, telling me that she was calm and peaceful, happy to just float around admiring the grounds at Professor Oak's lab so I didn't worry about her too much, though I made sure that he knew that she was very particular about being clean and tidy so not to let her in his office unless he wanted everything to go missing into files that he'd never be able to find again. I left the Pokémon centre and started walked down the path away from the town so that when I called out Latias for a quick flight, I wouldn't shock anyone or draw too much attention to ourselves.

I found myself facing a large cliff, rising high up off the road and I instantly saw it as a challenge. Why not? I haven't done something like this in a while, it could be fun! Besides it's faster than walking the road path. I gripped onto the rock at the bottom them pulled myself up, beginning my ascent.

Climbing up the rock face I paused and looked down, surprised by how much higher it looks from this position but still I continued to climb. Reaching out I gripped a stone to pull myself up, however with a sudden jolt it came away from the face of the cliff and I inhaled sharply, trying to grab for a different hold but my foot slipped and I began to fall.

Crying out I swiped at the air in a miserable attempt to try and grab another rock for support but I missed by bare inches, so I went to grab a Pokéball. "Latias I need…" But then firm arms curled around me and curled me up against something furry and warm, the Pokémon huffing with each leap it took back up the cliff face until finally, I dared open my eyes. "Lucario?"

"Lucario…" He nodded his head gently then put me down on my feet, walking over to then stand with his trainer.

"Seems you like the dangerous route." Sam noted to me and in the light of the sun, I noticed exactly what he was wearing. Thick combat boots, a long black coat with the hood drawn up over his head with his hands tucked deep into large pockets. "Why am I not surprised?" He gave a warm smile as I blinked at him then looked at him curiously.

"What're you doing here?" I questioned him, placing my hands on my hips and tried to look as proudly defiant as possible, but he merely chuckled.

"I watched your performance." He revealed and I was instantly speechless. "Have to say, I wouldn't want to go against your Froslass. Impressive battle, especially against a Pokémon as strong as that Manectric. Your Pokémon must have a lot of faith in you." He'd come to watch? Well I guess that's nice of him, but I don't get it. He hates Pokémon contests. Or at least that's the impression I got. "The way you'd defended your love of coordinating, I thought I'd come and see exactly what you were talking about. I wasn't impressed by most of the others, but you completely transformed my opinion. Your use of your Pokémon's abilities to turn something that's meant for battle into something beautiful is very admirable."

"Thank you." I said finally, unsure of what else to say.

"So, I've decided that I want to battle you. I've seen you battle for show, now battle me for real." Instantly my heart rate kicked up a gear as I smirked competitively, adrenaline firing up my spirit as I clenched a fist and nodded my head.

"You got it. How about a one on one knock out?"

"Good. I'll battle with Lucario." Sam informed and Lucario jumped forwards. "A Pokémon I have travelled with for a long time and one of my most trusted." He added so I made my decision quickly.

"In that case, I'll battle with my first Pokémon. Charizard, its show time!" I called and he appeared with a roar, flapping his wings to create a large gust then landed on the ground, making it tremble slightly from his weight and size. Sam arched an eyebrow then nodded his head, impressed. "Age before beauty." I called out with a smirk and Sam suddenly laughed aloud, a rich and rumbling laugh as he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling from where he'd smiled often.

"Very well. Lucario go, use Power-Up Punch." Sam began and Lucario instantly darted forwards with intense speed, hitting Charizard hard in the snout and he roared.

"Flamethrower Charizard at close range!" I countered, seeing that Lucario was now close and wouldn't be able to move away fast enough.

"Aura Sphere." What's that? I've never heard of that kind of move before. Suddenly Lucario twisted around and pressed his paws outwards, a glowing orb appearing between them and it shot towards Charizard's Flamethrower, breaking it apart and slammed into Charizard, who roared as he took the hit. Oh…so that's what it is.

"Fly up Charizard and use Wing Attack!" I sliced my hand down with a smirk, focusing on the battle as Lucario landed on the ground and stood at an angle, body relaxed but I could sense he was ready to move in the blink of an eye.

"Hold your ground." Sam said and I instantly snapped my gaze to him and he returned it levelly, wearing a similar expression to me. What's his next move? Charizard swooped down and with a glowing wing tip, powered for Lucario. "Now, use Bone Rush." Lucario created a glowing bone in both paws then swung it at Charizard.

"Dodge by spinning." I returned and Charizard instantly spun around, twisting like a hurricane and dodged Lucario as he leaped up, swinging his bone but then he jumped after Charizard. "Now swing your tail!" I quickly ordered so Charizard swung out his tail without looking, trusting my judgement and it slammed into Lucario, making him grunt from the impact before being struck back to the ground. "Oh yeah, strike one!" I cheered, giving a laugh. "Now Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

Charizard swooped around and blasted at Lucario with his flaming breath, Lucario still lying on the ground but Sam called out calmly. "Lucario, Aura Sphere again." Lucario's eyes snapped open and instantly he moved, springing backwards with a flip over his head to avoid the Flamethrower then used Aura Sphere on Charizard who roared.

"Batter up." I told him and he nodded his head as the sphere came rushing at him. With a swing of his tail again, he knocked the sphere back and Lucario had to dodge it. "Strike two! Let's go Charizard, Inferno and spin!" I said, clenching a fist tightly in front of my face as I continued to feel the excitement pounding through my body, anticipating the great battle to get hotter and hotter as Charizard used Inferno, blasting intense flames out of his body and then spiralled down, tucking in his wings as he carried the flames with them for a more accurate attack.

"Lucario go, use Dragon Pulse, let's go." Sam remained calm and Lucario instantly thrust his paws outward, forming a powerful beam of purple energy which rushed at Charizard who didn't see it coming until it was too late.

With a roar he tumbled to the ground and landed with a heavy thud, the flames going out as he groaned softly. "Charizard! Are you okay buddy?" I asked and in answer, he got back to his feet, glaring at Lucario. "Awesome, that's the way. Let's use Wing Attack, now!" Charizard flew up then shot forwards but Lucario leaped up and literally _flew_ over the top of Charizard, making him halt in surprise and turn around, but by then Lucario was already moving with Sam's next attack call.

"Aura Sphere." Within the blink of an eye, several Aura Spheres pounded against Charizard, knocking him down to the ground and he lay there, smoking slightly with his eyes closed so I sighed and raised my hand.

"It's over. You guys win." I said then ran over to Charizard. "Charizard! Come on buddy, speak to me." I pleaded with him, kneeling down and hugged his face. "I'm sorry you got hurt, I totally didn't know what was coming. We were both a little outmatched." In answer Charizard opened his eyes then lifted his head, growling softly at me then began to lick my face, making me giggle as I lifted my arms to shield myself. "Stop it! Charizard, you know that tickles! Hey!" I laughed before flinging my arms around him, holding him tight. "I'm proud of you, you battled hard and that's all that matters."

"Indeed. You two are very close, I can see that now." Instantly Charizard was snarling, glaring at Sam as he tried to get a little too close for Charizard's liking so Sam instantly stepped back as I flicked his nose.

"Hey. Be nice." I scolded him. "If it weren't for Sam, I may not even be here right now." I said as Charizard stood up but protectively curled his tail around me, signalling that Sam wasn't allowed to pass that point. "Sorry, he's very protective."

"I can see. Your Pokémon all love you very dearly, Ruby." Sam said with a proud gleam in his eye. "I'm impressed with your skills, thank you for our battle."

"No problem. It was fun. Right buddy?" Charizard nodded his head once with a gruff snort. "He agrees." I translated, folding my arms then tipped my hat back a little. "Have we ever met before?" I questioned and Sam sighed.

"A long time ago, when you were just a baby. I was a…friend of your mother's." That's when I got the feeling of a hidden truth again, like he wasn't telling me everything. "Please, I'll ask you not to pry. Some things are better left untouched." He said to me and I sighed.

"Fine. I'll let it go." Sam gave me a grateful nod of his head before looking between me and his Lucario.

"Teach me how you would battle with Lucario in a contest." He said suddenly and I blinked in surprise.

"What? You want me to show you how to use Lucario's battle skills to show him off?" I questioned and Sam nodded his head silently, wearing a serious expression so I gulped. "Okay, I'll try. Charizard, you take a long rest. You've earned it." I said and he gave my cheek one last affectionate lick before he disappeared into his Pokéball. "Okay, give me one minute." I requested then began to pace, thinking over what I had seen from Lucario.

Aura Sphere, Power-Up Punch, Bone Rush and Dragon Pulse. Okay, let's think…got it! "Uh…do you want me to tell you what to say or…?"

"Lucario will do whatever you ask of him." Sam informed me then stepped back as Lucario walked to stand in front of me, turning his head to give a short, gruff bark with a nod of his head.

"Okay. Well then, let's start. Lucario, I want you to use Aura Sphere up at the sky." I told him and I tried to picture exactly what I wanted. Lucario latched onto my aura and instantly knew exactly what I wanted, so he did as I asked, sending several orbs up into the sky with great power. "Now Bone Rush!" The glowing bone like staff appeared and Lucario leaped up as the spheres began to fall and he struck them all with powerful and perfectly executed moves, causing them to explode effectively around him. "Aura Sphere." Again he knew exactly what I wanted and he held the sphere over his head, letting it grow and grow until it was easily larger than a Snorlax after his midday meal. "Now, Dragon Pulse!"

Lucario let the sphere go and instantly jumped up, twisting around and blasted it with his Dragon Pulse, growling softly as the sphere exploded with a loud bang but the sparkling shards of blue and purple rained down around him as he punched the air, performing his battle moves before holding his punch, looking directly outward before relaxing and nodding his head to me.

"Excellent. I never knew Lucario could use his attacks in such a different manner." Sam said, clapping his hands casually as he walked back over to me. Reaching out he placed his hand on my shoulder and rested it there gently. "You've certainly opened my eyes Ruby, I thank you."

"You're welcome, but it was all Lucario really." I shrugged, blushing a little. "And you're the one who trained him into such a great Pokémon."

"But you unlocked his full potential, something I had not thought were possible. I have believed Lucario to be in his final stage of his potential, but I now see that there is still a lot of training to be done." He told me, looking up at the sky as the sun began to set.

"A Pokémon's potential is something that can be limitless. They never stop surprising you, after all." I informed him simply. "I speak from experience. You think you know everything about your Pokémon, then they throw something totally new at you." Sam chuckled.

"I agree. You know, I have heard that there is another contest a few towns over to the west. Perhaps you should enter. I will be looking forwards to seeing you compete in the Grand Festival. You can be sure that Lucario and I shall be rooting for you." He said then touched my face, gently brushing his finger against my cheek and I looked at the contact quickly, finding that the gesture was not strange to me. I'd better get in contact with mom. If he won't tell me, then she will. "Goodbye Ruby, I am certain we shall meet again." He said then began to walk away.

Lucario stepped forwards and nuzzled my head with his snout, smiling as he gave a gruff but warm bark before springing after his trainer, the two of them disappearing into the forest. Okay, I have questions that need to be answered. But first…maybe that contest needs an extra contestant.


	38. Chapter 39

"Ah Ruby! Excellent timing." Professor Oak smiled to me as I managed to finally get through to him on the screen. "I've received the packages you sent me of those evolutionary stones, very remarkable, thank you very much for your assistance."

"Not a problem professor, I'm glad they got through okay." I smiled. "How's Froslass and Vaporeon? Are the eggs okay?"

"Oh, Vaporeon is doing very well and the eggs are perfectly fine. Your Froslass is settling in perfectly well, in fact…" Professor Oak pulled back slightly and sure enough, there was Froslass. She was dressed in an apron and had a feather duster in her hand, dusting off the bookshelves and was cleaning up his lab quite happily. "You weren't over exaggerating when you told me Froslass loves to clean. I barely managed to rescue all of my files and reports before they were put away in a completely different order. Though now I can't remember where I put them…"

"Maybe you should let Froslass arrange everything for you." I laughed cheerfully. "After all, your filing system is something that even confuses me. It's a wonder you ever do find anything." The professor chuckled along with me as Froslass turned and began to dust the screen, calling out a greeting to me.

"Froslass Fross, Lass Froslass!"

"Hello there Froslass, I'm so happy to see you." I beamed at her before opening my ribbons case. "Here look, Kirlia and I won another ribbon, it's right next to yours." I showed her and she beamed again, nodding her head and sending her congratulations before she continued with her cleaning. "I hope you don't mind her cleaning so much professor."

"Oh no not at all, in fact it is rather helpful. Though Froslass tries to arrange things, she is very good at making cups of tea and bringing refreshments to make sure I'm well looked after. Froslass even helps to keep the other Pokémon in check whenever I'm called away."

"That's great!" Feeling a bubble of pride I leaned back in my chair. "Is there anything else you need me to do professor? I'm more than happy to help in any way I can."

"Well now that you mention it, I do have a question about some of the stones you sent me." He mused, scratching his chin before he rustled around, trying to locate them. "Now what did I do with those stones? I'm sure I put them here earlier." He mumbled, rustling papers and opening boxes as Froslass floated into view, carrying the box of stones I had sent to the professor. "Ah! Thank you Froslass, very kind of you." He grinned at her before opening the box and pulling out one of the stones I had collected. "This is something I have never come across before, can you tell me where you found it Ruby?"

"Of course, I found that particular stone with the others in Granite Cave. I just thought it looked so pretty and I wasn't really sure what else to do with it, so I thought I'd send it over just in case." I informed him as he turned the pale yellow stone over, the strange marking at its centre looking like a curving wisp.

"Hm. Leave it with me. I'll run some tests to analyse what exactly this stone is, however if you could find more examples then I would be most grateful to you." Professor Oak said and I nodded my head in understanding.

"Not a problem professor, I'll get on that right away. Leave it to me and my team!" Giving a grin I stood up from my chair. "I'll contact you if I find any more, wish me luck!"

"Good luck Ruby, and remember, if you ever need to exchange some of your Pokémon, just give me a call!"

"I will. Goodbye professor!" Giving one last wave I cut the call then turned, ready to head back to Granite cave. I left the Pokémon centre after collecting my Pokémon then walked a little way away, looking around to make sure that I was completely alone before I tossed a Pokéball up into the air. "Okay Latias, it's time for some speed. Come on out!" I cheered and Latias instantly appeared, calling happily as she shook herself off then flew close to me, nuzzling my face and I laughed before she allowed me to jump on her back. "To Granite Cave, let's go!"

"La!" Singing out happily she flew up into the air, streaking through the clouds then soared across Hoenn at top speed, causing my cheeks to go numb as we crossed over the land and then the sea, heading directly to the cave on its island. It took less than two hours to get there but when I jumped off, I was a little numb from cold and I collapsed, groaning as my stomach was yet to catch up with me. "La? Latias La." Latias nudged me as I groaned, clutching my stomach.

"Next time…maybe go a little slower." I suggested to her and she moaned in apology, nudging me until she had helped me to my feet and I leaned against her for support. "No worries, you were great Latias, thanks to your speed, we were here in no time." I grinned as I rubbed her head before I stood up on my own two feet, now recovered. "Come on, let's go inside and see if we can locate any more of those strange gems we found last time."

"Latias." She nodded then followed along behind me as I led the way inside, pulling a flashlight out of my backpack and shone our way. I followed the path that I remembered, walking as quietly as I could however once I got a fair way in, the ground began to tremble and an Onix lunged from the ground, causing me to yell and leap backwards as Latias darted forwards to protect me instinctively, the Onix roaring threateningly as it faced down upon us. "Holy cow! I didn't even sense you coming at us!" I squeaked as I jumped backwards to put some distance between us. "Careful Latias, this one seems rather agitated."

"Latias!" She called back to me in reassurance as the Onix whipped its head from side to side, smashing it against the cavern walls and caused giant rocks to break away. "La!"

"Look out Latias!" I yelled in fear, stretching my hand and tried to run forwards to reach her as the rocks tumbled straight towards her. Latias reeled back, avoiding the first wave before she ploughed through the rest to break free. "Yeah! Great job Latias. Now, use Dragon Breath." I directed, punching the air before me as Latias sucked in a deep breath then sent the purplish flames straight at the Onix, landing a direct hit though the damage wasn't great.

However with the attack, Onix then became confused, struggling to keep its eyes open and it growled before slamming its head into the ground, attempting to attack but only damaging itself in the process. "Dragon Breath again Latias let's go!"

"La!" Another attack landed and this time, the damage was greater as Latias stored more power to put into her attack, sending Onix back a few paces as he managed to shake off the confusion then roared, coming at us with a Rock Smash attack.

"Dodge it!" Latias flew out of the way however with this confined space, she didn't have the freedom to move as swiftly and agilely as she needed so when the tail swept around and knocked her down, my heart leaped into my throat. "Latias no!" She skidded along the floor, trembling slightly from the hit which left her winded but she shook herself off, eyes growing determined as she turned to face Onix once more as it reared back its head, ready to Headbutt her.

Latias shot out of the way at the last moment, using her superior speed to appear behind her opponent and as I blinked and stared, her aerodynamic wings began to glow bright white, flickering at first before they sharpened in colour and shape, spreading out and she struck Onix with the attack, making it rear back with a cry once more before it collapsed to the ground, defeated.

"Latias…was that Steel Wing just now?" I questioned as she laboured for breath, head hanging slightly as she tried to recover. "Did you teach yourself that move just now?"

"Latias." She nodded her head, turning to look at me with a smile so I flung my arms around her neck and held her close.

"You're amazing, even though you're still so young you're becoming so strong! I'm proud Latias, come on, let's get you fixed up." I said to her with pride and I used a Hyper Potion to help her recover before using the rest on the Onix, leaving behind a berry for it to munch on as we hurried past it, not wanting to still be around when it woke up again. "Be careful Latias, I'm pretty sure there's a sudden drop some-WHERE!" I yelled instinctively as the ground gave out beneath me, making me screech as I fell downwards.

"La!" Latias cried out and dove after me, catching me with her body before she gently lowered me to the ground and set me on my feet. "Latias La La."

"Yeah, I should have watched where I was going better. Thanks Latias, you're a life saver." I chuckled before I shone my flashlight around once more to guide our way. Whenever we came across a Pokémon we tried to run to avoid disturbances, however when we were left with no other choice but to fight, Latias practiced her attacks so that she could gain experienced. With the Steel Wing it was rather hit or miss on whether or not she could get it to work but I theorised that we just needed to make her wings stronger in order to fully develop their potential.

"I don't remember this part of the cave. I think I may have taken a wrong turn." I mused, shining the light around me whilst biting my lip. "Uh oh." Latias looked a little afraid of the darkness surrounding us, gripping onto my shoulders and nuzzling close so I reassured he by being confident and cheerful despite the fact that we may be extremely lost. Just perfect, and this time I don't have Ash to blame.

Trying not to panic I walked forwards, Latias still holding onto my shoulders as she levitated behind me, jumping at even the slightest of sounds. "Don't worry about a thing Latias, we'll find our way out of here, just give it a little time." I assured her, however when I stepped forward the ground beneath me moved and I yelped loudly, leaping back and Latias instantly cried out, darting away in fear to hide behind a rock.

Quickly I shone the flashlight where I had just stepped, shivering and gasping in shock as my heart hammered in my chest but when sweet eyes blinked at me, I relaxed. "It's just an Aron. Hey there little guy, I'm so sorry for stepping on your head." I apologised and the cute Pokémon beamed at me before barking.

"Ar! Aron!" Giggling I reached out and rubbed his head before unslinging my backpack and giving it some food.

"There, I hope that makes up for it. Latias! It's okay, you can come out now." I called to her and she blinked, checking to make sure the coast was clear before she flew forwards and happily greeted the Aron. "You see, we're a little lost down here. We were trying to find some rare stones that my friend, Professor Oak, wanted to study but now we can't find our way back to the top. Could you help us?"

"Aron." The Aron nodded his head then began to walk forwards, leading us towards a very dark and ominous tunnel before lifting a leg to point. "Aron Ar!"

"That way? Okay. We'll follow you." I beamed, glad that things didn't look so hopeless after all. We followed after Aron, letting him guide the way however when things became a little too small for Latias to fit through, I had to return her to her Pokéball so that I could carry her safely through, though the moment I'd clipped her Pokéball safely onto my belt another popped open and Ralts appeared.

"Ralts. Ralts." He lifted his arms up towards me, wanting to be cuddled so with a sigh I lifted him onto my back.

"Hey there Ralts, it's a little scary out here, you sure you want to stick around?" I asked but in answer he only clung onto me closer. It was his way of telling me he didn't want me to be alone. "You're the best little guy." I smiled to him then continued to crawl my way through the tunnel that Aron was leading us through. "Hey Aron, are we nearly there?"

"Aron, Aron Ar."

"Sweet, it must be nearly lunchtime by now and I'm starting to feel hungry." Just as I spoke my stomach growled and Ralts's did the same, making us both beam at one another with a laugh before we continued. Aron led us through the tunnel, helping to dig the way out when it became too small even for me until finally, I dropped down out of hole he'd jumped through and yelped, falling to the ground where I landed flat on my face. "Ow."

"Ralts!"

"I'm fine, I've had worse." I assured him as I managed to get up and dust myself off, lifting my hat to shake that off before plopping it back on my head. "Huh?" My eyes turned to my surroundings and instantly I was frozen in place, staring at the ancient cavern that I found myself inside, Aron hopping happily along towards the opposite wall where embedded in its centre was a large crystal like stone with an almost identical wisp like emblem at its centre. "No way…that's amazing." I whispered as I approached it slowly, Aron sitting rather proudly underneath it. "Did you bring us here to find the stone?"

"Aron." He nodded and I smiled, stopping so that I could kneel down and rub his head.

"Thank you so much little pal, you're amazing." I thanked with a smile before I stood and brought out some of my excavation tools that I just happened to have on me. Hey, when you're travelling around, I'd learned to be prepared for absolutely anything. I carefully removed the stone, Ralts helping me by passing me the tools I needed from my bag before finally, I had removed the stone. It gleamed in my hand and it was distinctly warm, making me start in surprise. "Incredible."

"Ar! Aron!" Aron barked and I looked over to him, seeing that he was digging us a new tunnel to lead the way out.

"Good job Aron, I owe you one!" I beamed, hurriedly stuffing the stone into my pocket and packing my things away into my backpack, dropping my shoulder so that Ralts could jump up before I ran after Aron and let him lead me out of the cave.


	39. Chapter 40

After eventually getting out of Granite Cave, I'd rewarded our little friend with all the Pokémon food he wanted before he disappeared back into the darkness, happy to have helped us out. "What a good little guy." I smiled before I shifted Ralts further up my shoulder. "Come on, let's go Ralts."

"Ralts." He nodded in agreement so I headed back to the Pokémon centre for a shower and some rest, being rather dusty from climbing through all those tunnels for the majority of the day. The professor had sent me some location suggestions to search for stones so I made a plan to visit them one by one, mapping out the routes carefully with Ralts remaining perched on my shoulder.

The next day it was time to move on to our first stop so Latias flew us there, however when we came close to civilisation I had her set us down on the road so that she wouldn't be spotted, though she wasn't too happy to be missing out on all the fun. "It's dangerous for you Latias, people might become jealous when they see you with me and try to take you away." I reasoned with her. "I can't risk people spotting you." She whimpered slightly before suddenly brightening, pulling back with a cry and her body began to shine, making both Ralts and I gasp. "Latias!"

"La!" She beamed before suddenly the image of a girl stood before me, blinking her large golden eyes before smiling prettily. Her hair was a dusky pink colour and she wore an outfit identical to mine as my jaw dropped. "Latias! Latias La!"

"L-Latias? Is that you?" I question as she looked around her curiously, blinking before she stuck out a leg and examined it curiously before grinning with laughter then began to run around in circles, spreading her arms like wings. "Latias be careful! You'll fall over if you're not used…" Before I could even finish my warning Latias tripped and fell to the ground, making her blink before she started to cry, tears filling her eyes so I quickly ran around to kneel in front of her. "It's okay, just a little graze. Come on Latias please don't cry, here. Give me your hand." I offered, smiling and stretched out my hand to her.

She blinked before smiling lovingly, taking my hand and letting me help her up where I inspected her knees to make sure she was unhurt. "There, nothing to worry about. I didn't know you could do this kind of trick though Latias, it's amazing!" I beamed at her with a smile. Her hair was long and loose around her back, shifting on the breeze prettily with two tufts stretching backwards almost like horns, making me giggle as she curled her arms around mine and leaned into me. "Okay then, I guess if you look like this then there's nothing to worry about. Just make sure you stick close to me, okay?"

"La!" She nodded her head then proceeded to walk beside me with her arms remaining looped around mine, Ralts perching on my opposite shoulder as I led them both into town. Latias was instantly interested in everything around us but she stayed close just like she promised, though when she wanted to see something in particular she would pull me towards it with a surprisingly strong grip.

"Hey, look at that girl there, she's so cute!" I heard several people comment on Latias as she admired the florist, smelling all the flowers she could, indulging her senses.

"Yeah she is, think she has a boyfriend? Maybe we should go talk to her."

"Okay little one, time to go!" I cheered loudly and quickly grabbed Latias, dragging her away from the flowers before anyone could try to talk to her. How would I be able to explain the fact that she couldn't talk? Will people believe me if I told them she was mute? I'm not sure. This whole thing is making me nervous, I kept on expecting at any moment for someone to jump out and demand I hand Latias over to them. Will people notice that she's not an ordinary girl? I seriously hope not.

"La?"

"Ralts?"

"Its fine, we've just got a lot of work to do." I informed them both as I hid ourselves in an alley then turned to face Latias. "Now, we're here to locate a Dusk Stone for Professor Oak, he says there have been reports of them being found up in the mountain which this town lies at the bottom of, so let's go searching, shall we?"

"Ralts!"

"Latias!" They both cheered and I smiled to them, glad they were both on board. First we stopped around at certain shops and even the Pokémon centre to ask about the stones, gathering all the information we could before heading up into the mountains. When Latias became too tired to walk in her human form, she transformed back and flew instead, much happier that way.

We searched for several days without any luck, each day returning back down the mountain to the town so that we could rest before setting off early the next day. All my Pokémon helped me search, using their powers to either break rocks or dig until finally we all slumped, too tired to move. "I'm beat. This is much harder than I thought it would be." I complained as I leaned against Charizard's back, the others slumping against me wearily.

Latias was in her human form, resting against my shoulder with Kirlia, Ralts and Jigglypuff all using me as a pillow as they slept. "Guess we should call it a day and maybe try and find somewhere else to dig tomorrow. I sure hope this is all worth it in the end." I sighed before lifting up my Pokéballs. "You guys can go ahead and rest, thank you for working so hard." I returned everyone except Latias and Charizard, wanting to stay sitting down for just a little bit longer.

I heard Charizard snoring and I gave a little giggle, arm curling around Latias as I did so as she snoozed against me, curling up into a tiny ball in my lap as I stroked her hair. Leaning back my head I dozed for a little bit until my body felt a little stronger so I returned Charizard and shook Latias awake, offering to return her also but she shook her head, instantly clinging onto me tighter and insisted on accompanying me back down the mountain.

After her little power nap Latias was once again full of energy so I raced her back down, the two of us laughing together before we entered the town once more, however the moment I stepped inside, everything was eerily quiet. There was nobody around and the streets were abandoned, even the shops had closed early. What was going on?

"Pst. Pst!" I looked around to see a little kid hiding in the alley, signalling me to come closer so I did so.

"What's happened here? Where is everyone?" I questioned and the frightened little boy looked up at me with huge orbs.

"You've gotta get out of here! Those guys are coming. They're here to steal all the town's precious stones that we mine from inside the mountain." He whispered to me urgently. "They're real nasty, everybody hides whenever they come but they always trash the place, you have to hurry and get away!"

"Whoa now slow down, who trashes the place?" I questioned but just then there was a deep growl and the boy squeaked, shrinking back further and I frowned. Now that I looked closely, I saw that everyone was still here, they were only hiding. In the alleys, inside shops, behind their stalls. They were all cowering in fear as long shadows appeared on the street, growing longer and longer as men appeared at their base with their Pokémon at their sides.

"The man in the middle is their leader, Lyon, they're a gang of thugs that steal our stones in payment for money our town borrowed to repair the damage caused by an earthquake once. We paid back every penny but he insists that we haven't paid back enough." The little boy whispered as I watched five people approach the centre of the market where the town's governor slowly appeared, looking rather afraid and nervous. "They only leave our town alone if we give them the stones, but if we try to resist they destroy everything."

"That's horrible!" I glared sharply as the meeting between the two parties began to speak. "Well I'm not going to put up with it." I decided and started to storm over, ignoring the child's protests behind me as I approached the thugs. Lyon had stepped close to the town governor, demanding stones in payment for interests on the loan they'd taken.

"We're sorry but we cannot give you any more of our precious stones. We have already lost too much by means of profit because you take…"

"I don't want to hear your filthy excuses." Lyon snarled and thrust out a hand, sending the governor sprawling to the ground in just one push. Instantly I was running. "Now hand over every single stone you own, or we'll destroy this pathetic little town just like the last time."

"No…please!" Lyon smirked, dark eyes shining maliciously as he snapped his fingers.

"Perhaps the Mightyena can teach you a lesson?" He suggested and with a nod of his head, the two Pokémon at his sides leaped forwards, baring their fangs and aimed straight for the governor who cried out in fear and tried to cover his head, however by that point I had reached him. Without even thinking I thrust out a hand and a shimmering orb appeared around us, forming a barrier in front of the Mightyena who crashed into it then were thrown backwards, yelping upon the impact before they fell still before their trainers who gaped, calling out in shock before returning them to rest.

"That's enough. I won't tolerate this any further." I announced determinedly as I dropped the aura shield that I had created in the heat of the moment. Lyon stared at me, completely shocked that I had dared stood up to him, much less deflected his Mightyena.

"Who are you? Impudent little girl. This is none of your business!"

"I disagree." I answered back coldly as I cracked my knuckles. "I don't take kindly to bullies and by the sounds of things, you guys have been causing trouble to this nice village and all its good people. Perhaps _I_ should teach _you_ a lesson. One you'll never forget." My hand reached back for a Pokéball though I paused. My team were pretty tired, would they be rested enough to battle in this condition?

"I'll make sure that big mouth of yours learns some respect. Get her!" Lyon ordered and his four companions instantly released their own Pokémon, a mixture of types but I smirked. I don't see a problem.

"Charizard, time to bring the heat to battle. Let's go!" I called and tossed my Pokéball up into the air as the governor bowed to the ground behind me in gratitude.

"Thank you child, good luck!"

"Leave things to me, just make sure you call Officer Jenny and get everyone out of the market. I don't want to see anybody get hurt." I informed and instantly he nodded, hurrying away to direct people out of the immediate area as Charizard snarled, eyes flickering darkly at his opponents.

"Go now!"

"Yes sir!" The four instantly gave a yell and all four of their Pokémon charged forwards but I stood perfectly unfazed, trusting in Charizard who gave an outraged roar before he swept around his tail and knocked all four Pokémon aside with one strike, sending them flying before they landed unconscious. "What?! No way!"

"Don't underestimate me or my Charizard. He's my most trusted friend." I warned them before throwing out a hand, tilting up my hat as I smirked at Lyon. "You ready to take this battle seriously now? Four on one wasn't entirely fair you know. Especially when attacking a cute girl like me."

"Insolence! Fine. I shall take you on myself. Once you are defeated I shall take all of your Pokémon and then destroy this town until there is nothing left but rubble!" He roared before sending out his Pokémon. "Now, obey my commands. Golem!"

"Golem!" The heavy rock and ground type Pokémon appeared, causing the ground to shake when it dropped to the ground and Charizard growled. This wasn't going to be easy. We were at a complete disadvantage with this battle by way of typing, but I was certain we could still win. After all, we had our bond to depend on and I could always jump in and try to block any attacks with aura, if it would work.

"Golem, use Magnitude!"

"Fly up!" Instantly my order flew from my mouth and Charizard spread his wings and soared up into the air as Golem stomped the ground, causing it to tremble and shake upon impact however Lyon seemed to have anticipated my move.

"Use Smack Down!" No way! Golem sprung straight up into the air with powerful legs and hammered its arm down onto Charizard, sending him straight back down to the ground heavily and he roared from the impact, laying flat on his back.

"Charizard no!" My hand jumped to my mouth as Charizard sustained a lot of damage from that one strike. This Pokémon was strong, perhaps a lot stronger than I had expected. "You're okay Charizard, get up! Come on, I know you got it in you, let's get that fire of yours stoked!" I called out to him and he snorted, punching a fist into the ground before struggling to his feet. "Great job, you got this Charizard. That little blow was nothing."

"You have no hope in the world, little girl. Golem, use Rock Throw."

"Smack it straight back at 'em Charizard, now!" As the rock was hurled straight at Charizard he dropped his weight and spun around, using his tail to strike the rock and it hurtled right back at the Golem who blinked before it struck it in the face, making it yell and took on damage. "Strike one! Hell yeah!" I cheered before I clenched my fist. "Now Charizard, use Wing Attack!" His wings glowed and he flew up a breath before diving straight for Golem, landing the hit before Lyon even had time to think.

"Argh! Golem, use Smack Down!"

"Let it come." I ordered, throwing out a hand towards Charizard who froze in the air, allowing Golem to make the leap for him however at the last moment, I then directed him out of the way. "Now dodge!" Charizard ducked and rolled, allowing Golem to miss his attack completely. "Now give them your own smacking, Charizard special!" I directed and Charizard instantly whipped around his tail to send Golem straight back down to the ground, though Golem absorbed the blow into its powerful legs it still took on a little damage due to its sheer weight and the force of its descent. "Awesome work Charizard. Flamethrower!"

"Use Hyper Beam!" Charizard's powerful flame attack connected with the Hyper Beam, his roar sounding powerfully in my ears as I willed him to stay strong for these people. We only had to hold him off until Officer Jenny arrived and she could make an arrest, so until then we just had to stay strong. As the two forces struggled against one another, Charizard's flames began to gain the ground and instantly I grinned. Yes! That means we have the advantage with firepower alone.

"Now Charizard, give it all you've got!" I yelled and he poured more intensity into the raging flames before the Hyper Beam exploded and his Flamethrower charged through, blasted against Golem and although the damage wasn't great, it flung the Pokémon backwards from the sheer force and intensity. "Excellent job." I praised as Lyon snarled.

"Rock Throw, now!" Golem bellowed in rage, answering his trainer's wrath and began to launch rocks straight at Charizard who dodged them by flying upwards, however when Golem changed targets and aimed for me instead, a desperate cry sounded from Charizard as I cried out and tried to form my aura shield but in my panic, it didn't answer.

"Charizard!" I yelled in fear and instantly his shape dropped around me, shielding me from the rocks however as they hammered against his body he roared, taking on the damage as he protected me from even the tiniest of pebbles until suddenly he dropped, exhausted and damaged by the attack. "No! Charizard! Charizard open your eyes!"

"Ha! That'll teach you no doubt to involve yourself in affairs that do not concern you." Lyon laughed as his four followers laughed at my pain. "Maybe next time you'll think before you…what?!" Charizard snarled, opening his eyes and struggled to move, lifting his head and slowly began to push himself up, though he winced and flinched at every movement.

"Don't push yourself too hard Charizard, you have to take better care of yourself. Return, you've done more than enough to earn a good long rest." I told him, lifting up his Pokéball but he gave a sharp snort, spreading out a wing to stop me and I halted, staring at him as he struggled, tensing his entire body before all at once, he threw back his head into a roar and his body glowed red with flames, releasing the most powerful Flamethrower I had ever seen him create. No way! Is that his ability Blaze kicking in? Incredible!

"How is this possible?! That Pokémon should be in its grave by now! It was exhausted to begin with!"

"Never underestimate my Charizard. He's not only my oldest friend and companion but also my most stubborn partner! There's nobody like him in the entire world!" I bellowed, feeling my rage enhance as I connected to Charizard through our bond, feeling the fire inside him spark into life within me, our senses melting together as I spread my arms the same moment he spread his wings. "Now fly Charizard!"

With a roar he shot up into the air in the blink of an eye. "Wing Attack!" Before Lyon had even realised what was happening Charizard had rammed had dove down and skimmed the ground to land his attack, sending Golem rolling backwards. "Flamethrower!" Just like before, Charizard's flames were even more intense, blazing down like a hurricane of flames which engulfed Golem completely. "Now for the grand finale, Inferno!" My voice rang out as I felt Charzard's building anticipation, summoning his breath deep into his body for one final roar as both our arms crossed in front of our bodies, trembling under the pressure we accumulated before we both flung back our heads and bellowed, Charizard bursting into flames before he dove straight down for Golem.

The explosion was colossal however in the moment of Charizard's power I seized some of that confidence and willpower, converting it into energy which I used to form an aura shield around them both so that the flames were contained. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before, the raging fire putting a huge strain on my body and I struggled under the pressure, feeling like my muscles were melting away under the heat whilst Charizard remained engulfed, trapping Golem inside until finally, I let go of the shield just as the flames disappeared.

Everything was silent as I exhaled, trembling from exhaustion but I managed to grip my knees for support and look up to see that Golem was defeated and Charizard remained standing. We did it. We defeated them. Lyon was staring in absolute horror, completely lost for words at he stared at Golem and Charizard, unsure of what to do or say as I slowly stepped forwards until I was at Charizard's side, resting my hand against his stomach. "Do you really want to continue battling us now?" I questioned him darkly.

"You…you…" Just then sirens began to wail and Lyon flinched, jerking awake and tried to run away however Charizard snarled, whipping out his tail and sent Lyon sprawling so that he couldn't escape. Officer Jenny quickly leaped off her motorcycle and placed everyone under arrest with her lieutenants taking care of the others.

"Lyon Dryder, you're under arrest! I've been looking for you for quite some time now, it's about time I caught up with you." She announced, snapping off the handcuffs before directing him towards the transit van. "You'll be locked away for a long time in payment for terrorising this town!"

"Anything…lock me away anywhere you want…just get me away from that crazy girl!"

"Hey! I am not crazy!" I protested and Charizard snorted in amusement, making me shoot him a look. "That's just rude. You're supposed to be on my side!" I complained but he only answered by grinning and licking my face with his huge tongue, making me squeal and laugh as I caught onto his snout and hugged him tightly. "You were amazing, I'm so very proud of you Charizard."

"Latias La!" I looked up and smiled as Latias ran over to us, flinging her arms about my neck and buried her face into me in relief as I hugged her too.

"Young lady, our town thank you. Because of your bravery, we can live on in peace." The town governor spoke and I turned around to face him, blinking before I lifted my hat in salute.

"No worries! I was glad to help, it was no bother whatsoever." I assured him with a smile which he readily returned as the townspeople gathered, cheering and applauding me. Charizard, being the show off that he was, puffed out his chest and blasted a Flamethrower into the air, making me laugh at him and shake my head. "In thanks for your services, we wish to present to you this evolution stone. It has come to my attention that you have been asking questions about our mines and where to locate the stones."

"Yes, Professor Oak in Kanto is researching different evolutionary stones and I have been helping him by collecting them." I gasped as I was given a Dusk Stone by the governor. "Thank you so very much!"

"It is our pleasure. Please, come and visit us again any time, you will be more than welcome in our humble home." I smiled and bowed respectfully to the elder, assuring him that I'd drop in if I was passing through before I returned Charizard to his Pokéball so that I could get him to Nurse Joy. She was more than happy to heal him up for me, assuring me that rest was all he needed and plenty of it. That's good, so long as there isn't any lasting damage.

I sat down in the waiting area to rest for a moment, sighing before looking down at the Dusk Stone, its surface quite smooth despite the matt finish. Latias sat next to me, looking at it curiously also. We'd been sitting there for only a few minutes when someone approached us, standing directly in front of us and I looked up at the familiar face, blinking before I recognised him. "Steven! It is Steven, isn't it?"

"That's right, I'm glad you remember me Ruby." He smiled to me softly. "I saw your battle today, I was very impressed with how you handled that man. I had heard about the trouble this town had been having with thugs and had come to see to things myself but it appears you beat me to the chase." He smiled at me softly.

"Yeah, Charizard was pretty amazing, wasn't he?" I agreed with a glow, putting the Dusk Stone away as I stood up to greet him properly. "How have you been? It's been a while since I met you last."

"Yes, I've been very well. My search for stones continues, though I hear you are also now in a similar business." I blushed slightly and nodded my head as Latias hid nervously behind me, shy about Steven being so near to us.

"That's right, Professor Oak asked me for some help." I answered just as Nurse Joy called out to me, informing me that Charizard and the others were all healed up and ready to be picked up so I collected their Pokéballs, promising that I'd polish them carefully as a reward for being so great.

"I'm glad I ran into you, Ruby, as I was wondering if I too could request a favour." Steven said to me and I stopped, looking at him in surprise. What kind of favour would this guy need from a girl like me? "I heard a lot about you from Professor Oak who I contacted the other day. He suggested I find you to help me with another part of my work. You see, I have already been around most of Hoenn collecting stones, so in return for a favour I shall give you the ones that Professor Oak needs for you to keep."

"Wow really! That would be so great!" I beamed, eyes sparkling instantly as Latias smiled also. "What do you need? I'll help you with anything!"

"Good, come. Let me buy you something to eat, you must be hungry after such a demanding battle. Your friend can join us too if she likes." Steven offered then turned a kind smile to Latias. "Hello there, my name is Steven Stone." He introduced and held out his hand but Latias only smiled back at him.

"La!" He withdrew slightly, confused at her response so I chuckled.

"My friend isn't exactly a human. She's a Pokémon disguised as a girl so no one will suspect anything whilst she wanders around in broad daylight." I explained to him before stepping back. "Come on Latias, you can trust Steven." I assured her so she beamed then jumped up, flashing with light before she appeared in her true form, making Steven's eyes grow wide.

"A Latias!" He gaped as Latias pressed her face into mine and I held her head in my hands, smiling.

"Yep, this is my Latias. I hatched her from an egg I found at the Professor's lab. Quit it Latias! That tickles!" I giggled before lifting up her Pokéball. "It's time for you to sleep now, you're just as tired as the rest of us." I told her sternly and she pouted at me but did not argue, allowing herself to be returned to her Pokéball where Steven then smiled.

He treated me to food where I immediately tucked in, wolfing down the food as he began to explain the circumstance. "You see, there have been some startling developments. You have heard of Team Magma and Team Aqua, am I right?"

"Yeah, I've come across them once or twice. Or at least heard of them." I nodded my head, slowing down a little so I could chew my food properly. "They're organisations that are causing trouble, right?"

"Correct. They seem to be after the ancient powers of two Pokémon that, if awoken, could cause catastrophic damage to the entire world. Kyogre, controls the oceans whilst Groudon, controls the land. Together they could completely destroy the world as we know it and reshape it without even a second thought." My face paled.

"And that is exactly what Team Aqua and Magma are after. The power to dominate all life as we know it." I murmured before pinching the bridge of my nose. "Don't these people get that it just doesn't work that way? Jeez."

"I'm glad you understand, Ruby. Please, allow me to explain to you the legend." Steven said then began to recite the story of how the two forces of nature, Kyogre and Groudon, clashed in battle for dominion of the world, however when their battle became too catastrophic, another Pokémon appeared. "Rayquaza, ruler of the skies. This Pokémon is said to have the power to quell the anger of both Kyogre and Groudon. I have researched this tale extensively and I believe I have found a way to find Rayquaza and ask for his assistance should the worst happen."

"You mean actually bring Rayquaza into a battle between two powerful Pokémon that may or may not happen?" I questioned suspiciously but Steven shook his head.

"Events are already unfolding. Both these Pokémon have been captured by either Team Magma or Team Aqua and things are quickly escalating. We do not have much time, Ruby. Will you help me?"

"Well of course but I don't see how I can be of any help. I mean, you seem to have things pretty under control yourself." I reasoned and Steven gave a small smile before he reached out into his pocket and pulled out a small box which he then opened and turned around to face me. Inside was a small lump of rock. Nothing special, just a rock, however I sensed it thrum with life as I reached out to touch it.

"I did not tell you at the time, but when we first met I carried this comet piece with me. The moment you appeared, it started to react. It grew warm and even started to sparkle. Look, even now it's reacting to you." He pointed and I saw that the rock really was starting to glint the closer I reached towards it until finally I picked it up. Heat flared up through my hand but it wasn't painful, the comet shard bursting with light which radiated through my fingers and I gave a yelp, quickly dropping it. "You see? This comet piece is the key to summoning Rayquaza, or at least according to my theories. What's more, I believe that you are the one person he will respond to as an aura guardian."

"You know about me being an aura guardian?" Steven nodded his head as he picked up the comet shard I had dropped and placed it safely away back in the box.

"Yes, Professor Oak was kind enough to inform me. You are a remarkable young lady, Ruby, and of course I shall reimburse you for your time but…"

"Forget about the stones, this is a matter of life and death, right?" I questioned then stood up, my plate now completely clean from all the food I'd just eaten. "Then this is definitely something that I can't just ignore! I'll help you in any way I can, Mr Steven, you can count on me!" I said before grabbing my hat and backpack. "So what are you waiting for, let's go!"

Slightly astonished, Steven blinked before smiling, nodding his head. "Of course. I shall show you the way." He paid for the meal then explained to me all about his research whilst we travelled by private helicopter to a small island with a huge tower at the centre. He told me how he'd come to believe that this was the point where people in the past came to summon Rayquaza when the two primal Pokémon had fought. "This is the Sky Pillar. At the summit, you will need to hold the comet shard and pray for Rayquaza to answer your call. Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, everything will work out well." He said to me but stopped when one of his equipment bleeped.

He opened it up and a message sounded, the voice on the other side sounding desperate. "You must hurry, Kyogre has been released and is now starting to cause mass floods! We need Rayquaza to stop this Pokémon, it's too powerful to fight alone!"

"Understood." Steven answered before closing the communication as I gulped. "It seems time has run out. We must hurry." Nodding my head I ran after him inside the old ruin where we began to climb up the hundreds of flights all the way to the top, though I was soon out of breath and my legs ached from all the running. "Almost there, hurry Ruby!"

"Right behind you." I panted, using the wall for support before finally, we reached the top. When I looked out to the oceans and open skies, my jaw dropped. In the time we had spent inside, I had not realised how much everything had changed. The water was full of torrential whirlpools, threatening to chew up anything that even touched the surface of the water and the skies were filled with dark clouds, lightning flashing above as the winds raged like howls of despair, threatening to tear me away and throw me from the summit as I braced myself against the wind. "Hold on Ruby!"

As I was almost pulled back by the wind Steven grabbed my hand and pulled me close to him, helping to brace me against the wind as I gulped, feeling a little afraid at the power which I could seemingly taste on the air. This was terrifying, and it was so high. If I fell from here, I doubt Gary Oak would be there to catch me. Sounds crazy, but I almost wish that he was here right now to say something mean or stupid which would instantly cheer me up, or at least take my mind off of the current situation.

"You know what to do, I'll make sure nothing disturbs you whilst you concentrate!" Steven shouted over the wind as he helped me forwards then let me kneel on the ground before he pulled out the box and handed it to me. "I know you can do this, good luck!" He called before pulling back slightly. Right, I can't fail in this. The world depends on me to help. No pressure.

Taking a deep breath I opened up the box and picked up the comet shard, instantly feeling its warmth and it glowed, reacting to my touch as I took a final deep breath before closing my eyes, however before I could call out to Rayquaza I heard Steven shout. "Look out!" Suddenly his arms were around me, dragging me as he rolled out of the way and I yelled, clutching onto the comet shard instinctively as a blast sounded and tore away part of the wall behind us. "Team Magma!" Steven growled and I opened my eyes to see people dressed in red smirking at us.

"We'll be taking that comet shard now, Rayquaza belongs to us." They announced, their Pokémon snarling however someone else shouted in reply.

"That's what you thing. The Pokémon will belong to Team Aqua!"

"You've got to be kidding me." I complained as Team Aqua also appeared, the two teams facing off with growls whilst Steven placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry about them, I can hold them off whilst you continue to focus."

"Are you insane? There's loads of them and only one of you!" I yelped but he only smiled, pushing my hat more firmly down on my head playfully as he stood up.

"I'll be fine. Just make sure nothing distracts you." He answered before rising up. "You people have no respect for this sacred place. You will not be getting your hands on another ancient Pokémon, the line ends here!" He announced before flinging out a Pokéball. "Metagross, come!" I waited only long enough to see his impressive Metagross with strange colouring appear before Steven begun the battle. "Meteor Mash!"

"Focus Rubes." I muttered before crawling forwards then knelt back on the ground once more, holding the comet shard between my two hands then bowed my head to pray. Please Rayquaza, come and help us. We need you to stop Kyogre and Groudon from destroying the word. Answer me.

"I don't think so little girl! Venusaur, Vine Whip!" Suddenly vines lashed around my throat and body, making me cry out in shock as I was lifted up high into the air and held out over the edge of the summit, completely bound in place as one of the Team Magma grunts grinned at me darkly, holding out his hand. "Now hand over that shard or I'll drop you!"

"Never! You can go eat chalk you stupid doofus!" I yelled but the vines only clenched tighter around my neck, making it difficult to breathe and I felt like my body was being squeezed to the brink of life though my legs kicked and struggled.

"No! Ruby!" Steven yelled as his Metagross continued to fight off all the other opponents. This isn't good, he's overwhelmed and although his Pokémon was powerful, it could only handle so many targets at one time and I wasn't exactly in the greatest of positions. If only I could reach one of my Pokéballs then I'd be able to help him fight but my arms and hands were completely trapped. Damn it, this is just typical! "You don't understand, without Rayquaza the world will be destroyed!"

Even as the storm clouds disappeared and the wind died down, our opponents continued to refuse to surrender, seeming rather determined to get their hands on the comet shard and thus, Rayquaza. "We're not stupid. Rayquaza is the only Pokémon that can challenge Kyogre and Groudon. With that kind of strength under our command, Team Magma will be unstoppable!" My captor shouted back before snapping his fingers and the Venusaur brought me back onto solid ground, letting me go. "Mightyena, use Thief!"

Suddenly the dark type Pokémon snarled and charged into me, making me cry out as I was flung backwards and the force made the comet shard fly from my hand which the Mightyena instantly grabbed and brought back to its trainer as Team Aqua snarled. "You won't get away with this! Team Aqua, attack!"

"Do not try, now _I_ shall be master of this world, Maxie doesn't know what he's let himself into. Now come Rayquaza! Answer the call of your master!" He yelled, holding the comet shard up to the skies, however everything remained silent as Team Aqua backed away, ready to retreat. Recovering my breath I coughed, managing to rise to my feet as I suddenly felt angry. Very angry.

"You guys make me sick." I spoke quietly, hunched over as I clutched my aching stomach, my other hand massaging my neck where I could still feel the imprint of the vines chocking the life out of me. "All you care about is power and domination, you don't care about the precious lives of people and Pokémon that you're about to destroy." My eyes opened as I finally stood up tall, my hat falling from my head to reveal my enraged expression, hair loosening from its tamed plait to writhe on the wind as my aura began to glow around me, bright golden and fiercely radiant. "Well I won't let you hurt a single living soul, I'll defeat you all by myself if I must!"

Suddenly the light intensified and I yelled, reaching out with the calling of my heart as I gripped my hands into fists at my side. "Rayquaza! Answer my pleas. Save us from destruction, descend from the skies and fight for us! RAYQUAZA!" My voice echoed with a thousand vibrations, a blast bursting from me as I threw every emotion I had into reaching out to our one last hope, praying with all my might that he might answer as the comet in the enemy's hand began to shine like a star.

Without warning I heard a roar and I opened my eyes, looking up to see a rush of clouds gathering in the sky, only this time they amassed into a thick black cloak which broke apart when a shape cut through them, serpentine and green with great horns, the markings running up and down its body as the ruler of the skies appeared before us all. Rayquaza. It roared at us, body coiling constantly and both Team Aqua and Magma gasped as I continued to glow brightly. Had that really worked? He'd answered me?

"Rayquaza…" I murmured softly before I stretched out my hand and the huge dragon Pokémon lowered its head, allowing me to touch its face before it made a soft sound, inviting me to climb aboard. "Okay. Let's do this together!" I nodded my head in agreement before tossing a Pokéball into the air. "Latias! Make sure you help Steven escape and follow us!" I called to her as she appeared before I jumped onto Rayquaza's head, feeling a rush of excitement as my aura disappeared and we rose up into the sky.

The exhilarating rush was unlike anything I had ever felt before. The coursing power which ran through this Pokémon's body seemed to flow into me as he carried me on his back, body spiralling as he flew through the air and Latias quickly caught up with Steven riding on her back, winding her way up Rayquaza before she matched pace with us. "I'll go and help evacuate the ground where the primal Pokémon are battling, good luck Ruby!" He yelled to me before Latias darted forwards, disappearing and I nodded after them. Stay safe.

As we approached the battle, Rayquaza gave a yell and I could feel his anger as I quickly took in what was going on below. Two Pokémon were battling, one of them in the ocean, the other on the ground however the ocean Pokémon, Kyogre, sent a mass tidal wave at the island which Groudon stood upon however when he cut it down with a Solar Beam, Kyogre leaped up from the ocean and dragged him in. "No! Rayquaza, you have to stop them. At this rate the ocean is going to swallow up that island and there are people on it!" I urged and Rayquaza gave a roar before diving down.

As the two Pokémon battled, I caught sight of something on Groudon's head. Is that…Pikachu? No way! Then that means Ash and the others can't be too far away! As I watched, Pikachu had strange patterns on his body but as he writhed with pain, a blue orb was pulled from his body then sank into Groudon, causing a dynamical shift in power as Pikachu was flung from Groundon's head. "No! Pikachu!"

Rayquaza roared and dove faster, gaining the ground then turned upside down so that as I stretched out my hand I caught Pikachu's arm and pulled him close, tucking him into my body safely. "Got him, let's go!" Rayquaza reared up as Groudon flung Kyogre out to see then bellowed, causing an eruption of lava which began to cause new land to overtake the ocean.

Wait, Groudon had changed it looked more powerful, the lines of its body glowing brightly like flowing lava. Had that been the work of the orb? No time to think now, we had to stop it from causing the lava to overflow onto the island. "Go Rayquaza, give it your best shot!" I yelled and Rayquaza answered with a Hyper Beam, blasting Groudon in the side of the head which threw it off balance and momentarily halted the lava expanding. "Yeah! Great shot!" I cheered, still holding onto Pikachu who was unconscious in my arms. "Hold on little buddy, I got you now."

Kyogre leaped from the ocean and I noticed a small hovercraft above the waves, a man standing there with the same patterns that Pikachu had previously had but this time in blue. "You will not interfere Rayquaza! This is a conflict you will not be able to resolve. Go Kyogre!" Kyogre turned its head towards Rayquaza and used a move I had never come across before, large orbs of pale blue appearing before they blasted straight towards Rayquaza in a beam of light.

"Dodge it fast!" I squeaked and instantly Rayquaza moved, avoiding each and every strike before using Dragon Pulse in response, though Kyogre managed to block with Aqua Ring which recovered some of its energy. Not good and to make it worse, Groudon was up and seriously mad. It roared up at Rayquaza before using one of the most powerful Mud Shots I'd ever seen. "Uh oh." Rayquaza dodged again, spiralling out of reach and I wailed, having to grip on for dear life to keep from falling as multiple attacks were fired at us at once, including Ice Beam and Lava Plume.

"That's it, use all of your power Kyogre!" The Team Aqua boss yelled before suddenly beginning to yell, clutching at his head before a red orb appeared from his chest and pulled free, diving straight down to Kyogre who instantly absorbed the strange object, eyes suddenly becoming red as it roared, diving back into the ocean only to reappear also changed, like a step further of evolution. Had they both just evolved because of those orbs? Then why did they both look so strange, as if they were not in control of themselves?

"Rayquaza, we have to finish this quickly, look!" I pointed at the waves as they continued to grow more dangerous, swallowing up part of the island whilst I could hear the earth beginning to quake. "It's all up to you now. I know we have only just met, but I have absolute faith in you. You answered my call because you have faith in me too, right?" I questioned and Rayquaza turned back to look at me as I held Pikachu protectively close to my chest. "It's up to us to save the world, so you're not alone. I'll be right with you every step of the way!" I declared as something grew bright in my pocket, making me blink before pulling out the stone I had recovered from Granite Cave.

It glowed brilliantly before streaks of light blasted from it, making me yelp as I quickly ducked my head to shield Pikachu as Rayquaza began to shine also, the body changing underneath me until the light faded and the roar shattered the skies, revealing an awesome new form of Rayquaza as I stared, the long ribbons extending from its horns gracefully gliding with every coiling movement. "Awesome…." I breathed as I tucked the stone away again safely. "Okay Rayquaza, if that's still your name. it's now or never! Let's go! Use Dragon Pulse!"

In answer Rayquaza roared and blasted both Kyogre and Groudon in one blast, the power having increased more than ten times than before. It's just like what happened with Charizard, did something similar happen here? I guess there's still so much I don't know about the world of Pokémon, but if I can have more adventures just like this then I definitely want to continue travelling and learning! "You got this, show me what you can do!" I cheered as Pikachu stirred slightly in my arms.

Rayquaza glowed with a greenish outline before streaking forwards, blasting against both Groudon and Kyogre even as they both attacked simultaneously with their signature moves though Rayquaza easily cancelled their attacks by striking them first. "Hell yeah!" I cheered, punching the air however when Kyogre leaped up from the ocean and used Hydro Pump, the blast of water rammed straight against Rayquaza and the force threw me off its back and into the air, making me cry out as I lost grip of Pikachu. "No! PIKACHU!"

Throwing myself forwards with all my might I managed to grab onto Pikachu and tuck him into me, curling up as we fell from the skies and the rush of air ripped into my hair and clothes. I heard Rayquaza call out to me however he was held back by another dual attack, preventing from him reaching me as I continued to fall. "LATIAS!" My terrified scream echoed outward and instantly I felt her mind connect to mine, her urgency ringing through my body as I took a deep breath then dared to open my eyes.

I saw her streaking towards me, diving down from the skies and I reached out to her, desperate to keep Pikachu safe and just at the last moment, she managed to catch me around her neck and she skimmed across the ocean top, carrying me to safety as I quickly swung myself onto he back. "Great catch Latias, I owe you one." I exhaled with relief before looking back up to Rayquaza who was receiving blow after blow from both Kyogre and Groudon before he too was knocked from the skies, landing heavily on an island of ice which Kyogre had made from its Ice Beam attack. "Rayquaza! Hurry Latias, take me to him!"

"La!" She sped forwards, weaving in and out of the waves and dodging the swinging fist of Groudon as he attacked Kyogre once more, safely manouvering through before she halted next to Rayquaza, allowing me to jump off still carrying Pikachu.

"Rayquaza, get up! Latias, use Heal Pulse!" I ordered as Rayquaza struggled to get up, growling and groaning however as Latias healed him with Heal Pulse, the scratches and burns faded away and he shook himself off before roaring, enraged by the situation. "Calm down Rayquaza, it's alright." I soothed, lifting my hand and touched his face to convey my feelings to him and instantly he quietened. "You can't allow your anger to get control otherwise you'll lose focus. I know you have the strength to defeat both Groudon _and_ Kyogre, so come on. Let's see you take this like a boss." My eyes blazed with confidence as I jumped back onto Latias. "Give it everything you've got, I'm right here!"

With a roar of approval Rayquaza suddenly soared back into the skies, glowing green before using Dragon Ascent upon both Groudon and Kyogre, knocking them apart and flinging them far away from each other. "Yeah!" I cheered as Latias soared upwards to avoid the resulting wave. "Now Rayquaza, use Hyper Beam on Groudon!" Turning, Rayquaza complied, blasting Groudon once again however with his back turned, Kyogre took this opportunity to use Ice Beam but Latias dropped down at my direction and I held out a hand, sucking in a deep breath before forming an aura barrier to shield Rayquaza.

The Ice Beam rammed against the barrier, forming a large wall of ice before us however I only let go once the attack ended, allowing Latias and I to shoot out of the way again as Rayquaza opened his mouth and used Draco Meteor, firing a bright light up into the sky before the meteor showered down from the sky, hammering against both Kyogre and Groudon until they were knocked unconscious, finally defeated. "Yeah! Alright!" I cheered and Latias gave a swoop for joy as the two Pokémon changed back into their original forms and the orbs rose up from their chests, glowing brightly and began to circle. Interesting, what's going on there?

"Ruby!"

"Lance!" I started, surprised to see him here. "What are you doing here?"

"I was part of the team to help bring things under control. Looks like you really pulled through on this one, you should be proud." He said to me as he rode on his Dragonite, making me grin at him as I stroked Latias on the head before turning to see Rayquaza giving a celebratory roar. Once he'd finished his roar and the echo had silenced, he moved closer to me, light flashing around him before turning back the way he was just like with Kyogre and Groudon.

"You were amazing, I'm so honoured to have battled alongside you." I smiled to him, reaching up and hugging his face tightly. "I hope we meet again someday." He growled softly, fierce eyes gazing at me before he pulled back and soared upwards, disappearing into the atmosphere where I watched him disappear before exhaling.

"Pika?" Pikachu blinked and I looked down, seeing his eyes beginning to open. "Pikachu Pi!"

"Pikachu! I'm so happy you're awake! Are you okay? I don't understand what the heck happened but I'm just so glad to see you." I babbled, rubbing my cheek against his and he squealed happily, beaming as I cuddled him close. With everything now over, Latias returned me to the ground as Kyogre and Groudon both disappeared, one diving into the deepest part of the ocean whilst the other emerged itself in the volcano of the island.

At last. It was over. Everything seemed to be returning to normal. "Come Ruby, your friends are waiting for you." Lance said to me and I nodded my head, following him back to the ground where I jumped off as Ash, May, Max and Brock came running towards me.

"Ruby! Ruby are you okay? That was so dangerous what you did!" Max yelled as Ash stretched out his hands for Pikachu.

"Pikachu buddy! You're okay!"

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu leaped from my arms into Ash's, the two of them laughing and smiling together as they reunited once again. Just as I began to open my mouth to speak both Max and May lunged for me, fixing their arms around me in tight embraces and I blinked before smiling, glad to see them again.

"We were so worried about you!" May practically sobbed into me so I lay my hands on their heads and rubbed them gently in comfort, letting them cry into me before I returned their embrace.

"I missed you guys. Honestly, I come back and find you all caught up in this mess? You lot obviously can't cope without me." I teased them as Latias circled excitedly, nudging Max playfully as he laughed and chased her around.

"Glad you're okay Ruby." Brock said to me, rubbing my hair before blinking. "Where's your hat?" Suddenly my eyes grew wide. My hat! I'd lost it at the Sky Pillar! Aw man, I'm never going to find it now, I love that hat!

"Right here." Steven announced, appearing at Lance's side then held it out to me. "Picked it up where you dropped it, better keep a better hold on that next time." He said to me and I sparkled happily as I took it back and squished it down firmly on my head with a huge grin.

"Thank you Steven! I owe you one!"

"No, I think I'm the one who owes you." He smiled before he pulled out a new box from his backpack and handed it to me and immediately I felt its hefty weight. "The stones I promised you."

"What?" I blinked then looked as he opened the lid, everyone crowding around me to see the different types of stones that Steven had gifted to me. "Oh wow! They're all so amazing! Thank you Steven, this means a lot." I beamed at him in gratitude.

"Also, I have something else for you. This is called an Eon Flute. It's a special instrument that you can use to call your Pokémon Latias to your side wherever you are in the world. So long as you play something with that flute, she'll be able to find you. I've had it as a collector's item for a long time now, however I think it will find much greater use with you." He informed me, holding out a silver flute which shone under the sunlight.

Brock took the stones from me so I could accept the gift graciously, bowing my head in gratitude before accepting. "Thank you, but you know you don't have to give me rewards for doing something I would have done anyway. I'm glad I could help." I beamed up at him as Latias nosed the flute curiously so I lifted it to my lips and played it. The sweet tune made her sing out and fly happily, spinning around in the air and I laughed before putting it carefully away, taking the stones from Brock so that he wasn't left with their weight.

"Thank you all for your assistance, I hope to meet you all again someday." Lance said before he returned to his Dragonite. "Let's go Dragonite, there's still much to do." He said before the two of them flew off into the skies.

"I must depart also. Ash, take care of yourself, you too Max. Make sure you study hard." Steven said kindly and Max nodded his head enthusiastically.

"I sure will! One day, you and I can battle!"

"I'll look forward to it." Steven chuckled before he too made his exit, leaving me with my friends once more as Team Magma and Aqua were dealt with. Sorting out the stones into my backpack, I finally turned and grinned at everyone.

"So, who's hungry?"


	40. Chapter 41

Brock and the others took me through everything that had happened from the beginning so that I understood fully what had gone on between Kyogre and Groudon. It seems I hadn't missed much but there were still a few important details missing. I couldn't believe that those two idiot organisations would cause so much trouble!

"Well, at least now it's over." I beamed, patting my now full stomach. "Man, I've missed your cooking Brock!"

"So what happened whilst you were gone Ruby? Tell us all about it!" Max questioned, sitting on the edge of his seat attentively across the campfire as we toasted marshmallows after such an amazing dinner. I told them all about Froslass and how I'd managed to calm her down then capture her before taking her to a contest. May was thrilled to find out I had received my five ribbons and became even more determined to catch up with me.

I told them everything that had happened, making sure I didn't miss anything out including Professor Oak's request to find as many stones as possible during my travels. Once I was done, Max's eyes were wide with wonder. "Wow! You've done so much! Does this mean you're going to travel with us again? Are you back now for good?" He asked and I gave him a wink."

"Of course squirt, but first I need to do one more thing." I said to him before nodding my head towards the stones. "I have to go back home to take those to Professor Oak in person and I want to check up on all my Pokémon. I want to see Froslass and my Vaporeon, make sure she and her eggs are doing okay, but after that I'll come back and stick with you guys." I assured him and his face fell.

"Okay, guess we can't help it." Seeing his crushed expression, I reached out and fluffed up his hair.

"Come on Max, why the sad face? I'll be gone for a week at most, so don't worry about it. Just make sure you send me emails to keep me posted on your location and I'll come and find you. With me being as stubborn as I am, there's no way I won't catch up to you within minutes." I boasted before grinning. "So cheer up, it won't be for long." Finally he smiled, nodding his head happily.

"Okay!"

"We'll make sure you're kept up to date with everything, so don't worry about a thing." Brock assured me before looking over to Ash and Pikachu, who had eaten so much food they'd keeled over and were now asleep. "Maybe we should all get some shut eye, it's late and we've had a long day."

"Yeah, I'm exhausted. I could sleep for a century." May yawned as she stretched before climbing into her sleeping bag. "Goodnight everyone!"

"Goodnight May." We all chorused back as I helped to clear things away from dinner as Max took off his glasses then climbed into bed, asleep in moments and I smiled down at him. He was adorable really. Once everything was cleaned and put away, I too got into my sleeping back and quickly found sleep, though I dreamed I was soaring the skies once more on the back of the magnificent Pokémon, Rayquaza.


	41. Chapter 42

After two weeks chasing after Ash and the gang, I finally had them pinned. They were on a boat sailing to Izabe Island and I was flying on Charizard to catch up to them. In the time we'd been apart, Professor kept me updated with their happenings. May and won a third ribbon and Ash had already won two more badges. I'd really missed a lot and I was eager to catch up with them but time was running against me.

We flew over the ocean and when I spotted the deck, I instantly saw May standing there with a Bulbasaur in her arms, talking to a guy with purple hair dressed to match his Cacturne. No way! May caught a Bulbasaur? That's so awesome!

"Sound our arrival Charizard, we've found them!" I cheered and Charizard instantly roared, bellowing out and May spun around in alarm, however when she saw Charizard and me waving to her on his back, she broke out into a smile and waved.

"Ruby! It's you!"

"Hi May!" I called then jumped off of Charizard as we got close, landing on the deck then lifted his Pokéball. "Return Charizard, you need a rest after such a long flight." I told him and summoned him back before running to May. "May! It's so great to see you! And you caught a Bulbasaur? It's so adorable!" I told her as we hugged.

"Thanks! But Ruby you've missed so much! Torchic evolved into Combusken, Ash's Taillow evolved into Swellow, and Brock's little Lotad is now a Lombre. So much has been going on, Ash and I have almost finished collecting all our badges and ribbons!"

"That's great May." I told her proudly before reaching out and rubbing Bulbasaur's head. "Hi there you little cutie, has May told you anything about me? Probably not, I'm Ruby." I teased, making Bulbasaur smile up at me as May giggled.

"Is this one of your little friends?" The new guy asked as he walked on over. "Hi I'm Harley, May and I were just getting acquainted." He introduced, holding out a hand so I shook it.

"Nice to meet you. I'm guessing you're a coordinator too." I noted and he pressed a hand to his face with a smile, laughing subtly.

"No way, you can tell? Thanks sweetie, that's so kind of you." He said, laughing still as I blinked. I don't think that was a compliment but okay. "And this is my partner Cacturne, by the way. We're both very glad to meet you."

"A Cacturne huh?" May questioned then flipped open her Pokédex to see what it had to say.

"Cacturne, the scarecrow Pokémon. Cacturne is the evolved form of Cacnea and holds traits of both grass and dark types. It is rarely active during the day but becomes active when the temperature drops at night."

"So a dark type huh? Even just standing there Cacturne is so impressive, it's kind of scary." May said and Harley blinked before giving a slightly forced smile.

"Scary? Yeah I guess. By the way you two would you care for a cookie? I just made them myself today." He offered politely and we both smiled.

"We'd love one, thanks!" We both chorused then selected a cookie. May instantly chowed down on hers and I waited to see the verdict, smiling at her. "Hey! These cookies aren't half bad!" She declared with a bright smile and I noted how Harley seemed a little offended, tensing at the shoulders as I took a bite out of mine. A little dry, but otherwise okay.

"Bulbasaur."

"What's that Bulbasaur, you want one too?" May asked and Bulbasaur nodded her head so she smiled. "Okay, we'll take one more cookie, thanks Harley!" May said but we both looked to find that Harley and his Cacturne was gone. Weird.

"Here you go Bulbasaur, you can try mine." I told her and she nibbled it from my hand, munching happily away just as the others appeared.

"Hey May, thought we'd find you out here. How's the training…Ruby?" Ash blinked, spotting me as I stood beside May with a smirk.

"Howdy genius. Glad to see you're still in one piece." I said, mock saluting him as he suddenly beamed.

"Ruby! You're back! We were so worried, we thought that Pokémon had eaten you or something!" I gave a forced laugh, thinking of how Muk had continuously slathered me almost to death every time I'd gone to see Professor Oak.

"Yeah…something like that. It's great to see you all again."

"RUBY!" Max suddenly yelled and barrelled past Ash, knocking him to the ground as he and Pikachu flung themselves at me. "You're back! That's so great, we missed you so much! You won't believe everything that's happened, it's so cool I can't wait to tell you!" He said, hugging my waist as I laughed, holding him and Pikachu close as he nuzzled into my cheek.

"Pikachu Pi! Pika Pika, Pikachu!"

"Hey there you two, I missed you!" I told them brightly before kneeling down. "How about some of Ruby's home special cookies? I baked them yesterday, but they'll still taste great with some milk or hot chocolate." I offered and Max instantly punched the air.

"Yay! Ruby's cookies!" We all laughed before going inside, Brock greeting me with a hug before we all sat down and ate every single crumb of the cookies I'd made as we filled everyone in on what had happened. The guys had more to tell, so they went first and then I told them about Froslass and Vaporeon's eggs and how they were all doing just fine, so May proceeded to tell me about the contest she was about to enter.

We didn't see Harley again for the entire boat ride, and not at all during the day running up to the contest until he came running around the corner with Max, who was late. Instantly I sensed there was something going on around here. His aura was deceptive, meaning that he was up to something. He'd better not be out to get May, otherwise he'll be facing _me_. No one threatens May's chance at winning this contest, not one bit.

The preliminary round was a blast, with May getting through the next round, though Harley did as well. When she was faced with the trainer with Surskit, I walked with her to the entrance. "Now remember, Surskit is a water type so Bulbasaur has the advantage, but when it comes to speed, Surskit are difficult to hit."

"Got it. Don't worry about a thing." May said then looked up. "Hi Harley, congratulations on your win." She said to him politely as he walked through the doors.

"Thank you May, how sweet." He told her with a smile before moving on. "Oh May? I'd like to give you a little bit of advice." He mentioned and May looked back.

"Yeah?"

"About Surskit and their speed. Surskit are very slow, so be sure to get up close for a more powerful hit. They're very endurable you know." He said and May gasped slightly, turning around to face Harley with a puzzled expression but I gripped her arm, stopping her from speaking as I glared at his back.

"Thanks for the advice Harley, that's very nice of you. Well May, let's go. You've got a battle to win." I told her then pulled her gently forwards. "If I were you, I wouldn't believe a word of what Harley says. His aura is as dark as his Cacturne's typing. I'd say he wouldn't mind doing anything just to win." I said to May.

"I don't get it, why would he lie to me like that?"

"It's a tough competition, and you're a formidable opponent. Don't worry about it, you can handle that clown, just go out there and remember what I said. Hit hard and fast, that's the way to do it." I informed and she nodded her head determinedly.

"Right, you got it Ruby. Boy, am I glad you showed up when you did." She said with a smile before walking on stage. I watched her battle the Surskit, who was even faster than I had initially thought, but with type advantage, when May landed a hit it sapped all of Surskit's energy and it didn't last long against Bulbasuar. Awesome!

So in the final round, it was May against Harley, where I could feel the tension rising by the moment. The battle kicked off with Harley's Poison Sting, which May countered with Vine Whip then moved into Razor Leaf, however by taking a note out of May's book, Harley retaliated with Bullet Seed, leaving them with even points.

"Go from Vine Whip into Tackle Bulbasaur!" May directed and Bulbasaur hit fast before racing forwards, using her vines to spring forwards and take down Cacturne which made Harley really mad. I saw him reach into his pocket, and he must have done _something_ , because Max's voice suddenly came on in the entire stadium.

"Yeah, my sister May used to be really afraid of Pokémon. There's this great story that when she went swimming as a little girl, this one time she was completely surrounded by a whole bunch of Tentacool." Max's voice laughed as I quickly scanned the arena, trying to find the source of the sound. "It was funny, because that day May just happened to be wearing a swimsuit with a matching blue swim cap and then…you'll never guess what happened next. My mom thought _she_ was a Tentacool, and then tried to catch her!" The entire stadium laughed and May instantly hid her face in her hands.

"Oh no! I'll never live this moment down for as long as I live. Max? Max?! YOU'RE TOAST!" She yelled at him and Max instantly cried out.

"I'm sorry! Harley said he was afraid of Pokémon too when he was little, and I was trying to make him feel better!" Max tried to explain and May suddenly turned a furious look on Harley.

"It was _you_!" She accused as he laughed maliciously.

"Oh don't be so uptight May, or should I start calling you Tentacool instead? Or maybe just Tent for short." He suggested and the entire crowd began to laugh their heads off, making May blush further as she trembled.

"May, don't listen to him!" I yelled from where I stood just off stage. "Go, hit him right between the eye where it'll hurt. Go!"

"You're right. Bulbasaur, let's go!" Bulbasaur made to turn but just then, Cacturne hit from behind with a Feint attack. Little sneak! He's going to pay for that one, go get him May! However with May's anger in full bloom, none of her attacks landed a hit as she simply charged at Cacturne with everything she had.

"May, calm down! Focus on the battle, not on Harley." I said to her. "You're letting your anger get the better of you! Keep your cool, then strike!" I coached and May instantly blinked, relaxing her shoulders.

"Let's finish this with Feint attack Cacturne!" Instantly May was back in the game.

"Vine Whip Bulbasaur, let's go!" Bulbasaur instantly caught Cacturne's leg and sent it flying, finishing with a Razor Leaf into Petal Dance which knocked Cacturne out with a perfect finish, leaving May and Bulbasaur the winners of the Izabe ribbon.

"Alright May! Way to go!" I cheered, leaping up with both arms in the air as Bulbasaur ran to May and leaped into her arms, the two of them hugging one another and I smiled. For a girl who used to be afraid of Pokémon, she's sure come a long way. I'm proud of her.


	42. Chapter 43

Humming to myself as I polished my flute, I turned it over in my hands. It's been a while since I've played it to the gang, though I played it for my Pokémon all the time when we were travelling alone. They never get tired of its sound.

Gently I ran my finger over its cool surface before looking up at the starry sky. "Hey Ruby, what you thinking about?" Max asked me quietly from his sleeping bag.

"You should be fast asleep little squirt." I told him with a smile before chuckling. "Nothing really, just speculating." I turned to look at him softly. "Can't sleep?" He nodded his head.

"I miss my mom and dad. Travelling's great, but sometimes I just miss 'em." He said so I patted the ground beside me and he got out of bed and walked over, sitting by my side as my legs hung over the cliff side. "Do you miss your parents?"

"All the time. I miss not talking to them face to face. I miss my mom's hugs, my dad's smile, their laughter, sometimes I miss them so much it hurts." I told him truthfully as I looked up at the stars. "But then I remember all the fun I've had out here with you guys, and how I still have my Pokémon, and then it doesn't hurt so much. You've got May, so it's not like you're alone. You still have your sister, and you got us too. We're all family here." Max smiled then leaned against me.

"I never thought I'd want another sister, but you're pretty great Ruby." He told me and I warmed greatly at his words. He gave a yawn but still didn't look too sleepy, so I picked up my flute again.

"I have something that'll help you sleep." I murmured to him quietly then began to play. My tune sang out softly over the cliff, swirling with the wind before being carried away but it did the trick. Max instantly began to grow sleepier, yawning again and lay down with his head on my lap as I continued to play the soft lullaby, the smooth flowing notes lulling him to sleep until finally, I could hear him breathing deeply with a slight snore.

Giving a little giggle I picked him up and stood, carrying him back over to his sleeping bag and put him inside, tucking him up to make sure he was warm then took off his glasses, giving them a clean before setting them safely beside him on his backpack.

Gently pushing his hair back from his fringe I stood and walked back to the cliff edge, taking a deep breath as I looked up at the stars. My thoughts turned to Vaporeon and how I hoped she and the eggs were okay. Maybe the reason I'm so restless is because I know something's happening.

"Can't sleep Rubes?" Gary asked me and I sighed.

"Not really. I can't stop thinking about Vaporeon. I hope she's okay." I answered him, looking down at my feet. Suddenly realisation crashed into me and I whirled around, almost yelling in shock but Gary smartly clapped his hand over my mouth, keeping me quiet.

"Keep it down Rubes, you might wake the others." He said to me then smirked. "And don't worry about Vaporeon. She's fine." He assured me as I just stared at him. "What, aren't you glad to see me?"

"At the moment? I'm a little worried how I'm about an inch from falling over a cliff." I mumbled into his hand and he blinked, looking to see how I was literally leaning over the edge with my heels up against the ridge and the only thing that was keeping me from falling as Gary holding onto my arm.

He quickly tugged me forwards and I went flying against him, making him smirk. "You don't have to fling yourself at me you know Rubes."

"Stupid jerk! You did that on purpose!" I hissed then flinched as I looked over at the gang, seeing we were still a little too close to have a conversation without waking them up. "Follow me. At least there won't be any witnesses in case I murder you away from here." I muttered under my breath then stormed away, my heart beating fast from the fear of perhaps falling over the edge.

Gary followed me into the woods before climbing up with me to sit on a bunch of rocks, flattened out to gaze over the valley. "Now what are you doing here?"

"Researching. I just happened to bump into you guys when I was looking for a place to sleep." He explained to me. "This mountain is supposed to be home to some rare Pokémon who only evolve in certain areas, so I'm investigating."

"Well that's swell. Next time, try not to sneak up on me like that." I glared at him but then a flash reflected in his eye and he looked down to see the necklace I was wearing. He smirked and reached out, picking it up and ran his thumb over the shining star and crescent moon.

"I see you still wear it." He noted to me and I growled under my breath slightly before reaching out and grabbing his necklace, lifting it up to show him the Squirtle charm.

"So do you." I retorted then stepped back, walking closer to the cliff edge to look out over the valley. "Gary? When was the last time you saw your dad?" I asked him and he blinked.

"Not since I was a little kid. He just disappeared one day and mom never told me why. All she'll tell me is that he's out doing something good, and that he'll be back when it's the right time." He answered me, sitting down in the mouth of a cave that happened to be situated up here. "You worrying about your parents?"

"There's nothing more important to me than family. My friends and Pokémon all count in that category, but my parents…I'm worried about them. They'd never shut me out intentionally, but recently, I feel like they're trying to hide from me. Like something's happened and they don't want me to find out." I said, turning to look back at Gary. "I've always been able to tell when they're lying to me, so maybe that's why we haven't seen each other in a long time."

Gary stretched out a hand simply and held it out to me, so I blinked before walking over to him. With an impatient sigh he took my hand and tugged gently, pulling me down to sit beside him before he stretched up with a yawn then dropped his arm lazily over my shoulder as I sat tensely, hugging my knees to my chest.

"We'll be okay." He said finally, pulling me a little closer in a tender manner. "You and me Rubes, we'll figure out what are parents are up to, then once we do, we'll be sure to never do the same to our kids." Instantly I turned a look on him. "When we grow older and get married to someone we meet." He added quickly, blushing slightly. "I didn't mean…"

"Yeah. I got it." I nodded my head before turning to look up at the moon. "But with how things are looking, I doubt I'll even have time to fall in love. Pokémon are becoming my life, I won't be able to just stop and go find someone." I shrugged, making the best excuse I could as a reason not to marry.

"You never know. You might have already met the guy." Gary said but I arched an eyebrow.

"Between you, Ash and Brock, I don't think _that's_ ever going to happen. Unless you're talking about Max, and that's just gross. He's like my little brother."

"Of course not. I'm just saying." Gary told me. "Anything's possible." I agree with him there, I guess. As the moon seemed to grow larger, I yawned and relaxed slightly, feeling my eyes close until finally, I turned into Gary and nuzzled my cheek against his shoulder, finding him to be warm and comfortable before finally dropping off to sleep.

* * *

When I awoke, it was to find that there was a blanket wrapped around me as well as a pair of arms. Still half asleep, I glanced up to find that it was Gary who was holding me, fast asleep himself. Oh okay then, it's only Gary.

…wait a second… _Gary_ is holding me? Are we… _cuddling_? Argh! Get me out of here! I quietly and slowly began to move, not wanting to wake Gary up so he could see the little situation we were in. However the moment I seemed to create too much air space between us, Gary gave a sleepy groan and pulled me back closer, tightening his grip around me before relaxing. Dang it, how am I supposed to get out of here without waking him?

I tried again and this time, managed to slither under the blanket and was just about to poke my head out the other side when I heard Gary's voice. "You wriggle in your sleep you know." Drat. Looks like the Skitty is out the bag.

"Uh…well…you have an uncomfortable shoulder." I shot back, scrambling to toss the blanket off me then quickly moved back a couple of feet. Gary smirked with a wry chuckle.

"Sure. Too bad you were sleeping on me all night." He said as he stood up and put his blanket away. "Well, see you later Ruby. I'd better get going." He said but now I was blinking up at him, still sitting on the ground.

"Huh? You're leaving? Just like that?" I questioned him as he held out his hand and I took it, letting him help me to my feet but with the movement, I found myself standing very close to Gary. Has he grown taller? And he smells good, really good.

"Why? You want me to stay?" He asked so I quickly hid my blush with a glare.

"No, but Ash might want to say hi, and challenge you to a battle or something." I informed him simply, only just then realising he was still holding my hand so I snatched it back quickly and folded my arms to tuck it safely away. " _I_ couldn't care less what you do, you Horsea faced jerk."

"Oh yeah? Then why are you blushing you Nosepass nosed idiot?" He questioned so I burned bright red, turning a fierce glare at him.

" _You're_ an Absol-ute disaster!"

"And _you_ are worse company than a nest full of Beedrill." He retorted, leaning forwards as our insults began to fly.

"Gloom breath."

"Grimer slime."

"You grouchy Snorlax."

"You stubborn Gyarados."

"Bonehead!"

"Stuck up Jigglypuff."

"You're just an arrogant jackass!"

"And you're a pain in the neck!"

"Argh! I HATE YOU GARY OAK!" I lost my cool, my voice echoing over the mountains and I instantly flinched. Oops, I hope that didn't wake up everyone else. Then I'd feel bad. Gary arched an eyebrow then smirked.

"Maybe one day I'll believe you." He said, turning to walk away so I crossed my arms stubbornly and looked away, closing my eyes so I didn't have to look at him. Suddenly I felt his warm lips make contact with my cheek, making me blush furiously and whirl around to face him, planning on smacking his head and throwing him over the side of the cliff but he smartly stepped out of range.

"I'll get you Gary Oak, you wait and see! You can't go around doing that all the time, it's gross and annoying!" I yelled at him as he laughed and jumped down the rocks on the other side.

"I know. That's why I do it Rubes."

"IT'S RUBY!" I shouted after him, trying to follow but then Max's voice spoke from behind.

"Uh…who're you talking too?" Looking back over my shoulder I glanced to Max then back to where Gary had been, only to find that he'd disappeared from sight. Drat. I'll get him next time. "Ruby?"

"I'm fine. Just a nightmare." I said to him simply as I walked back over. "Did I wake you?" He shook his head but I could tell he was lying. "In that case, how about I make everyone pancakes?" I offered, trying to make up for it and he instantly leaped up.

"Pancakes! Yay! Do we have sugar? And lemon? And syrup?" I laughed, swinging Max up onto my back as I carried him back down the rocks safely then hooked my arms behind me, keeping him settled safely there as I walked with him back to camp.

"I don't know squirt, let's go find out." I said before turning my head and entering our camp.


	43. Chapter 44

We made our way up the snowy mountain where it snowed a lot and the temperature continued to drop the higher we climbed and Max began to struggle, so I carried him as May wore my bag for me, allowing me to focus all my strength on just carrying Max on my back instead of my reasonably heavy bag.

"I don't think the weather's going to hold out much longer." May said, looking up at the dark clouds which gathered overhead, threatening another snow storm.

"Hopefully we can make it to the Pokémon Centre before it snows again." Brock said as Max lifted his head off my shoulder.

"Yeah, we can hang out there and have hot chocolate! And maybe some of your brownies Ruby?" He questioned me hopefully and I turned my head to give him a wink.

"Your wish is my command squirt."

"Alright!" Max cheered, lifting both hands out before winding them around my neck again, though he was careful not to strangle me. We climbed up over the hill, our feet covered in snow before we saw the Pokémon Centre just ahead of us.

"Look, there it is." Brock said with relief.

"The Pokémon Centre!" Max cried out happily, huddling the blanket I had previously draped around him closer as he battled against the cold.

"Yes! Well last one there is a rotten Exeggecute!" Ash called before racing on ahead.

"Hey no fair!" May laughed as she ran forwards and I followed, Max laughing in my ear as I grinned.

"Yeah you got a head start! Come on Ruby, let's get him!" Max said to me then yelled. "Charge!" I laughed aloud, trying my best to run quickly with Max on my back and we managed to overtake May before finally reaching the Pokémon Centre at the same time as Ash. A draw. Well, that's good enough for me.

"Hi Nurse Joy, how's it going?" We all asked as we walked in and I let Max jump down.

"Everything's just fine." She told us with a sweet smile.

"Hey Nurse Joy, would you take care of my Pokémon please?" I asked and handed them all over and Nurse Joy gave me a big smile and a reassuring nod.

"Of course, just leave them with me." So I handed them over, placing the five Pokéballs into a tray which she put away to be taken to a regenerative pod where my Pokémon's energy could be restored.

"Can we stop here for a rest?" May asked politely and Nurse Joy nodded her head.

"Of course, we're due for a snowstorm any minute now. So it's best that you do stay put." She advised and I looked outside to the darkening weather. Looks like we made it just in time, I heard the storms up here can cause someone to freeze to death if they're not careful.

"Your advice is like your beauty, unmatched beyond compare! Nurse Joy, I will stay right here by your side until our burning love has melted away every last snowflake." Brock said, having leaped straight in front of us to take Nurse Joy's hands, however she seemed completely baffled by Brock's forwardness.

Suddenly we were surrounded by a freezing wind, making us all cry out in alarm as Brock leaped back. "Or maybe I'll just cool down for a while!" He said and I managed to open my eyes to see a little cone Pokémon using what I guessed to be Icy Wind. When I looked back at Brock, he was completely covered in snow.

"What's that Pokémon?" Ash questioned and he drew out his Pokédex to have a look.

"Snorunt, the snow hat Pokémon. Snorunt mainly inhabit very snowy regions. It has long been said that any home visited by a Snorunt will be blessed with good fortune."

"Awesome! Snorunt is such a cutie!" May squealed and Snorunt smiled at her gratefully.

"Snorunt!"

"It's nice to see you again." Nurse Joy said to the Snorunt and we all looked at her in surprise.

"You mean Snorunt's been here before?" He asked her and she nodded her head to us all.

"Oh yes, whenever we have visitors at the centre like you." She told us just as Snorunt went through Ash's bag, which had been dumped on the floor along with everyone else's. The Snorunt pulled out a thin metal case, lifting up to see the reflection of light with interest.

"Hey that's my badge case! Let go!" He ordered but Nurse Joy merely smiled.

"That Snorunt, always pulling those kind of pranks. Taking things from the visitors then just scampering away." What?! Scampering away?! Suddenly Snorunt toddled off, taking Ash's case with it and Ash instantly blew his top.

"Hey get back here!" He yelled but Nurse Joy didn't seem too concerned.

"No need to worry, just relax." She told us. "It'll come back. Snorunt is just playing a game, having some fun. So give it a little time and you'll get your badges back." But Ash didn't seem to agree.

"I worked hard for those…" The rest of his words were mumbled as I grabbed his mouth and clamped my hand over it, giving Nurse Joy an apologetic look for Ash's rudeness.

"Sorry, he's very proud of those badges." I said, letting go then whacked Ash on the back of his head whilst glaring at him. "If you want them back, go get them! Don't just stand here yelling at people."

"Right." Ash nodded his head in agreement, leaping back to his feet. "Corphish, help me out!" He called then raced off. "Come on Corphish, let's go get my badges back!" I sighed, shaking my head with folded arms.

"Way to go genius. Now you're just going to frighten Snorunt." I said before walking after him, everyone else following after me. Ash cornered Snorunt at a dead end, Corphish and Pikachu holding their ground as Ash caught up.

"Now give me back those badges!" He ordered so I gave him a look.

"You know genius, maybe a 'please' wouldn't be too much to ask you know." I told him and he looked at me.

"Huh?" I gestured to the Snorunt as I walked forwards then knelt beside it, reaching out and rubbed its back with a smile.

"Hey there Snorunt, is that Ash being a big meanie?" I asked it and it nodded its head at me.

"Snorunt."

"Yeah, I understand. You just want to play, don't you? Tell you what, if you would please give Ash back his badges, then I've got a game you can play, and we can all join in. Sound like a deal?" I offered and Snorunt blinked, considering the option then lifted up one of Ash's badges, the Stone Badge he won from Roxanne and I nodded my head. "That's right, _those_ badges."

"Look, Snorunt's being nice." May said to us all as Max moved his glasses back up his nose.

"Looks like you're going to get all your badges back Ash." Ash knelt down and calmed himself, using a gentler tone as he held out his hand towards Snorunt.

"Thank you, those badges mean a lot to me. I'm sorry I yelled." He said and Snorunt blinked before tossing the badge up into the air, making Ash yell as he leaped back to try and catch it but then Snorunt blasted it with Icy Wind, freezing it over and Ash joggled it between hands.

"Wow, that was an Icy Wind attack!" Max said as Ash flinched.

"It's really cold, cold, cold!" He shuddered as he tried to keep hold of it. Suddenly Snorunt put the case away under its arm and glowed, using Double Team to spin around Ash, confusion him as to who the real one was. "Now what?"

"It's Snorunt's Double Team!" Brock informed and May worriedly looked at them all as I stepped back and tried to hide my laughter. This is just too funny.

"So which one's the real one?"

"There! That one. No that one!" Max said unhelpfully so Ash opted for a more physical approach to solving the problem.

"Pikachu, Corphish, stop Snorunt in its tracks!" Pikachu and Corphish leaped at the same time, however all the Snorunt doubles disappeared and they smacked heads, making them groan and rub their afflicted areas as Snorunt got away. "Pikachu, Corphish, are you both okay?" Ash asked as Nurse Joy leaned down towards them.

"Are you both going to be alright?" She questioned and they groaned but in a reassuring manner. "Something's wrong. Snorunt should have given your badges back to you by now." She said and Ash looked down at his one badge before closing his fist around it tightly.

"Well I'm not waiting around any longer." He declared then raced after Snorunt, the rest of us following after him. "Come on out Snorunt, quit playing around!"

"Where'd it go?" May asked, looking around to find Snorunt wasn't anywhere to be seen. "It couldn't' have just disappeared."

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu called Ash's name, standing before the Knuckle Badge which Ash quickly picked it up.

"My Knuckle Badge!"

"Well, maybe Snorunt is giving them all back to you. But just one badge at a time." Brock suggested slowly as May shrugged.

"Well if that's the case then you've got five more badges to go." Suddenly Corphish wore a determined expression and scuttled off, leading us to where he may have sensed Snorunt, however when we found our way to the kitchen, we all looked inside with surprise. "Maybe Snorunt's into stealing food now."

"Snorunt has never done anything like this." Nurse Joy said, touching a hand to her face.

"Okay I've had enough! I know you're in here so quit hiding and get out here now!" Ash yelled but instead of Snorunt showing its face, Team Rocket came out with panicked faces behind a bunch of boxes, their arms stashed with food.

"Pipe down, it's not like we're stealing food!" James yelled at us.

"Apple anyone?" Meowth offered nervously as we all chorused together.

"Team Rocket!" I noticed Jessie carrying bars of chocolate and instantly I growled.

"Hey! I need that chocolate to bake brownies for Max. Give all that food back right now!" I ordered but then Snorunt poked its head out, curious to see what was going on.

"Runt?"

"There it is!" Ash suddenly called and pointed to the Snorunt. "Go get it!" Instantly both Corphish and Pikachu lunged for Snorunt, Ash close behind but Snorunt led them all on a merry chase all about the kitchen as we just stared, our heads moving left and right slowly to follow Ash. "Stop running…just come back! I want my badges!"

"Hey, we will not be ignored!" Jessie flung at us vainly.

"Stealing is nothing compared to rudeness!" James agreed but then Snorunt turned around and used its Icy Wind.

"Watch out, Icy Wind!" Max and I both shouted at the same time.

"Dodge it!" May called and I almost laughed had the situation not been so close. May ordering Ash around like a Pokémon. That has to be something new. The Icy Wind shot over Ash as he ducked down and hit Team Rocket full in the face, freezing them into ice statues.

"Alright that does it, I'm through playing around." I don't think you were playing around in the first place genius, so what's the change now? "You're only making it worse for yourself Snorunt!" Ash yelled as he and his Pokémon chased after Snorunt. Suddenly Team Rocket shook off the ice, breaking free as they glared at us.

"Looks like your Icy Wind was a little overblown." Jessie said with a dark expression.

"Help me if I have to wait for this baloney to defrost before eating it, mark my words you'll rue this day!" James yelled over to us as Meowth turned and caught their attention with a sharp yowl.

"That's enough! Put it on ice until we get our tummies stuffed!"

"You're right!" Jessie realised, smiling rather sweetly down at Meowth. "Our stomachs are growling louder than we are."

"True, we'll start up again once we've built up our strength." James agreed but by then Nurse Joy had stepped forwards.

"Stop you thieves, now put down that food!" She ordered and it seemed to have caught Snorunt's attention, as it turned around and charged towards Team Rocket, hitting them all with a single Headbutt which knocked all the food out of their arms.

"Ash! Snorunt is on _our_ side!" Max called out and May nodded her head, looking accusingly at him.

"So how about giving it a little bit of help?!"

"Right…Corphish! Crab Hammer let's go!" He ordered and Corphish instantly smacked Team Rocket with a powerful swing, flying straight for the window which Snorunt opened and they all yelled as they flew out into the dark snow clouds. See you later losers! And don't come back!

"Thank you. Because of you and Snorunt, they won't be stealing any more food." Nurse Joy thanked them both as Snorunt gave a tingling laugh.

"Yeah. Hey Snorunt, you know you're a pretty good battler." Ash complimented and Snorunt smiled up at Ash as Max stepped forwards for a closer look.

"The Pokémon Centre must mean a whole lot to you." Max noted and Snorunt nodded his head in agreement. It reached into its little pocket and pulled out Ash's badge case, making his face drop in relief.

"You're really going to give them back to me?"

"See it's not bad, it just has a mischievous side." May said as she looked at Snorunt with a smile. I agree, you get all kinds of different Pokémon, them having such unique personalities and characteristics make it half the fun.

"Thanks Snorunt." Ash said as he reached out for the badge case but before he could take it, Snorunt had used Icy Wind on Ash, making him into an ice statue and I laughed at him, taking a photo as Snorunt cheered to itself.

"I guess you could say once a prankster always a prankster." Brock noted as I continued to laugh, however when Snorunt suddenly revealed he had possession of a second case, all laughter fell away from me.

"Agh! My ribbon case! Give that back Snorunt!" I yelled and lunged for it, however it jumped up, bounced off my head and leaped through the window. "No!" I leaped after it, watching as it ran into the snow. "It was funny when it was Ash's badges, but taking my ribbons is overstepping the line!"

"Wait for me Ruby!" Ash called out and jumped through the window after me, however he hadn't realised I was still directly underneath and he flattened me in the snow.

"Great moves genius." I mumbled into the snow as Ash leaped up.

"Get back here!"

"Yeah, bring those cases back!" I agreed, leaping up and raced after Ash. We chased after the Snorunt, who moved pretty quickly for such a little Pokémon and it bounced up a set of rocks before dancing on the top, parading proudly. "This isn't funny!" I yelled ahead.

"Give them back Snorunt!" Suddenly a chunk of snow gave way underneath Snorunt's foot, causing it to fall and it cried out as it fell down the steep slope of snow, unable to get back up. "Uh! Hang on, I'm coming!" Ash cried out and I gasped, watching as he flung himself forwards.

"Ash no! Ash!" I tried to follow after them, however my foot slipped and with a yell, I tumbled down the slope too, however as Ash reached Snorunt, he tried to grab my hand.

"Hang on Ruby! I'll catch you!"

"Ash I'm falling!" Panic stuck in my throat, making my heart leap as I tried to reach for Ash's hand but when I missed and fell away from him, we both cried out for one another. "Ash!"

"Ruby!" He tried to reach again however when he saw the rock he and Snorunt were heading straight for, he spun himself around and took the full force of the hit on his back, making my eyes widen as he crashed out on the snow, not moving.

"Ash no!" But then suddenly I felt the snow disappear and all there was around me was air. I screamed in fear, going for a Pokéball but I groped at nothing. No! I'd left them at the Pokémon Centre with Nurse Joy, what do I do?!

"Help me! Someone!" I screamed as loudly as I could in the hope that maybe there was a passing trainer with a flying or psychic type Pokémon. Just please! Anyone save me! Even if it's Gary, I don't want to fall too my death!

Without warning I hit the bottom and the breath was knocked from my lungs, a bright white flash passing before my eyes before I blacked out completely.


	44. Chapter 45

There was a crunch in the snow and my eyes fluttered open slightly, seeing the stark white contrast with black boots. Suddenly something warm was draped over me, a thick coat or something and I was lifted up into strong arms and carried away out of the blizzard as I shivered. "Easy now little one. You'll be alright." A voice whispered to me and I whimpered before curling up into the smallest ball I could make myself into.

Dipping in and out of consciousness, I found myself being carried a little distance before we hid in a cave, a hot fire already glowing with a Vulpix and Growlithe keeping it warm with their Flamethrower.

I was put down on soft blankets and both the fire type Pokémon bounded over to me with soft whimpers of worry, placing their warm fur close to me and I warmed up further before closing my eyes completely once again.

The next time I awoke, however, I was fully conscious again. The Vulpix and Growlithe were still asleep, cuddled up close to me to help keep me warm, however I was surrounded by this earthy smell, like pine and wood as well as fresh grass and soil.

There was a soft growl and I looked up to see Lucario knelt before me, reaching out to feel my forehead, making sure I didn't have a fever or pneumonia. "Lucario?" I questioned with a slight shiver, blinking up at him. "What are you doing here?"

He turned his head to the mouth of the cave where Sam sat, standing against the blizzard as if it didn't even affect him at all, despite him only wearing a shirt. I sat up, trying to move carefully but the small motion disturbed the fire Pokémon and they woke up.

"Vul? Vulpix…" Vulpix yawned as Growlithe stretched then sat beside me, panting softly with its tongue sticking out before it barked and licked my face, making me giggle.

"Hi there, sorry I woke you two up. Thanks for keeping me warm." I told them, reaching out and rubbed both their heads, making them close their eyes and lean into my touch.

"I see you're awake. That's good. I was beginning to worry." Sam said as he walked back over to me and stood beside his Lucario. "We really must stop meeting with you in mortal peril." I blushed deeply, tucking my knees close to my chest.

"Yeah. Sorry about that. My friend Ash and I were chasing after a Snorunt who had stolen our badge and ribbon cases. We kind of accidentally fell down a mountain slope, but Ash got caught on a rock and I sort of…fell over the edge. Wait, Ash! I have to go find him!" I made to stand up but Sam shook his head.

"No need, your friend is safe." Frowning I tilted my head to the side.

"How can you tell?"

"He is in no danger, I believe that Snorunt you said you two were chasing after has sheltered him from the cold. I can feel both their auras and they are perfectly safe. The best you can do now is to also keep safe. Safe and warm." He told me and I looked at him then at his coat. I began to offer it back but he stepped back and shook his head.

"No, you hold onto it. You need it more than I do." He said so I pulled it around so that I could hide within it, its folds easily swamping around me and the two fire type Pokémon snuggled inside too, smiling up at me so I picked them up and hugged them in my arms, the three of us serving for a very warm shield against the cold.

"Doesn't the cold bother you?" I asked but Sam shook his head.

"I can used my aura to keep myself warm." Wow, I've gotta learn that trick! "I see my Pokémon have taken a quick liking to you. They've always been very suspicious of trainers since before now." He informed and I smiled happily.

"They're just the cutest. I've always loved fire type Pokémon, but I have a bias because Charizard was my first Pokémon. They're just so intense and awesome Pokémon to raise. Always keeping you on your toes!" I told him brightly. "But now that I've caught such a wide range of Pokémon, I'm finder it harder and harder to choose a favourite, so I guess I just love all Pokémon really."

"That's good. The more Pokémon you like, the more that will like you back." Sam said then held out his hand. The Vulpix twisted free then leaped into his arms, settling in his lap as he chuckled and stroked her fur as she closed her eyes. "This little Vulpix I caught back in Kanto, one of my very first Pokémon."

"Which one _was_ your first?" I questioned and he chuckled again.

"I was a young trainer once, just like you. So I was offered one of the three starter Pokémon. I chose a Bulbasaur, who is now my good friend Venusaur. He's resting at my home with a friend taking care of my other Pokémon, so that I could continue to travel and train."

"Did you ever earn badges? Enter the Indigo League?" I interrogated, leaning forwards with the Growlithe in my arms and he nodded his head.

"Yes, I didn't get very far mind. Being so young and reckless, I didn't even make it through the first round. So I trained hard, let myself grow up a little more, then went back." He told me and I waited for the next part of the story. "And I won." My jaw dropped open.

"No way…you won the Indigo League? So you challenged the Elite Four, right?"

"Yes, and I beat them too." Suddenly my heart stopped. Just stopped. Not even a whisper or a thud. I was staring face to face with a Pokémon League Champion. No _way_! "But my reign didn't last very long. With new Pokémon being discovered, I was replaced by the next year, however I enjoyed it whilst it lasted." I can't believe it. Sam is actually a past champion. Why hadn't I recognised him? I thought I knew all of the old legends. "I wasn't too popular, most people forget about my championship and it was a very long time ago. Probably my lack of popularity is due to the fact I wasn't all that nice when I was younger. Though thankfully, with the help of a wonderful young woman I fell in love with, that all changed. Especially when our little girl came along."

"Really? You have a daughter?" I questioned and I smiled. "That's so cool, I bet she's really proud of you. You'd be an awesome dad." Sam chuckled at me.

"Not really, I don't get to see her much. Maybe when she was younger, but after a while, her mother couldn't handle me disappearing all the time and we split up. She never let me see my little girl again." He said and instantly my face fell. That's so sad. No one should be forced to be put through that. "But I've been watching over her, though she doesn't know it. I like to think one day she might find out who I am and come to accept me."

"I'm sure she will Sam, don't you worry." I told him with a confident smile. "And if she doesn't, then that's her loss." Growlithe barked in agreement in my arms and I snuggled my face into his fur with a giggle as he licked my cheek. I only just noticed then how the blizzard was gone and bright sunlight shone outside. "I'd better head back. The others will be worried about me." Sam nodded his head.

"Very well. Lucario, make sure our friend here gets back safely. We wouldn't want any more accidents to happen to her, would we?" Lucario nodded his head and held out a paw to me so I stood up, taking off the coat and put Growlithe on the ground though he and Vulpix gathered close, sitting down and smiling up at me.

"Good bye you two, I'm glad I met you." I said before turning to Sam. "And thanks for rescuing me. Again." He nodded his head, lips quirking upward in a smile.

"Any time little one. Try and be more careful from now on. Especially if you don't have your Pokémon with you." I nodded my head then took Lucario's paw, letting him lead me out into the cold but then he picked me up, carrying me easily before starting to jump, making me cry out and cling to him before I was overcome with laughter, the two of us springing from the ice bathed cliff to the trees to climb our way back up before finally, Lucario stood at the top, swung me onto his back then began to run, easily cutting through the snow.

"Whoa! You're awesome Lucario, you know that?" I questioned and he turned a silent smile back at me before taking another leap, crossing over a deep canyon and I cried out, clinging on tighter and buried my face into his neck as not to look before finally, we stood in view of the Pokémon Centre. "Thanks Lucario. I owe you one!" I cheered, jumping down and took a step back. "Make sure you look after Sam okay? He seems pretty lonely, I think he might really miss his family." I said then gave Lucario a hug, making him blink in surprise before he growled affectionately and placed a paw on my back. "Will you tell me?" I asked him as I continued to hold on. "Will you tell me how I seem to recognise you both?" But Lucario only gently pushed me away. "Fair enough. Train hard, I'll be wanting a rematch someday, and next time it won't be so easy." I assured him before running towards the Pokémon Centre.

When I had got to the next rise, I turned and looked back but found Lucario had gone, not even a footprint to signal he had been there at all. Strange, he must be super light on his feet. I turned and ran back to the centre, where the doors flung open and everyone came running out, Max in the lead.

"It's Ruby! She's okay!" With a laugh I picked up the pace and when Max leaped at me, I caught him and spun around, both of us laughing as I lifted him up then hugged him close. "We were so worried about you Ruby!"

"No need squirt, I'm a girl who can take care of herself." I winked at him as May flung out her arms and I pulled her into our hug too until Ash and Brock joined us, all laughing as we huddled together. "So genius, did you get my ribbons back?" I asked in the tight squeeze and he grinned at me.

"You bet! I even caught Snorunt. Turns out it really liked me, so we've got a new friend!" He cheered, handing over my ribbons which I tucked under my arm for safe keeping.

"Thanks buddy." I beamed before resting my cheek on Max's head. "Now squirt, didn't I promise you brownies?"

"Yay!"


	45. Chapter 46

With me sitting in meditation whilst Brock cooked us all some lunch, May and Max looked down at their navigator with gloomy faces. "I thought we'd be out of these woods by now." Max said glumly as his sister sighed.

"I know what you mean, things always look a lot closer on the map then they are in real life." She agreed.

"I think it'll take at least another day." Brock informed us but then Ash sprung up, and with my newly honed and focused aura ability, I didn't need to open my eyes to see the burning fire that surrounded him.

"Hey come on guys, why're you so gloomy? We're just one day and one boat ride away from my _ultimate victory_!" He yelled out load and I arched an eyebrow before giving a smirk, seeing his aura dancing around him brightly.

"That final badge has him pretty fired up." May noted jokingly just as Snorunt let himself out of his Pokéball.

"Snorunt, what're you doing letting yourself out of your Pokéball all by yourself?" Ash asked but in answer Snorunt only sucked in a deep breath and used Icy Wind on his new trainer, turning him into a popsicle before falling to the ground and breaking free with a groan. "…Ugh…what you do that for?"  
"Seems to me that Snorunt was probably trying to tell you to cool it!" May joked with laughter in her voice as Max laughed also.

"Yeah! Haha, and chill out! Good one." He said but then, I heard a whining voice call out from far away, begging for help and instantly my eyes snapped open as Max went quiet for a moment, hearing it also. Interesting. "Hey…what's that?" Without further hesitation both Max and I were on our feet and running. "Did you hear it too?"

"You betcha squirt." I winked to him before looking ahead and continuing to run.

"What's going on Max?!" Ash yelled after us. "Ruby, where're you going?"

"Someone's calling for help!" We both answered at the same time but the others were just confused.

"Did you hear anything?" Brock asked the other two as they began to fall behind.

"No, I didn't hear anything at all." May answered as I quickly grabbed Max's hand, keeping him upright as he almost tripped and held onto him before we powered through a bush, stopping short as we found a Ralts collapsed on the ground.

"Oh!" We both gasped before Max quickly picked it up. "Ruby, I think it's sick, you've got to help it!" He begged and I reached out a hand, touching its head then checked its pulse.

"Not good. Let's hurry back, maybe if it eats something warm and we give it some medicine, things will get better." I said and he nodded his head as he carried Ralts in his arms. "You got a good hold? Good, then let's go." I said and together we hurried back to the camp where the others were waiting, however when they saw the Ralts, they were all on their feet.

"Oh no! What happened? Is that your Ralts Ruby?"

"No, it's wild and its sick. Brock, we need to treat it with something right away." I said as I grabbed my bag and pulled out a blanket and my medicine kit, tossing the former over to Max who caught it then wrapped up Ralts securely, trying to help keep it warm.

"It's freezing cold. Maybe it fell into the lake or something." Max suggested as I finished spoon feeding it some medicine and Brock came over with some hot soup.

"It looks pretty sick too, maybe it caught a cold?" May looked to me and I shook my head with a serious expression.

"No, this is much worse. It may have Pokémon pneumonia, so we need to get it warmed up and fast." I said as Brock walked over.

"Here you go Max, try giving Ralts some of this." He said, handing over the spoon and Max nodded his head.

"Okay. Here Ralts, try some of this. It was made by Brock so it's very good." He promised but as he tried to offer the food to Ralts, it turned its head away with a pitiful sound.

"Pika, Pikachu." Pikachu encouraged gently and Ralts looked back, pausing slightly but when Max offered it again, Ralts drained the spoon then instantly smiled.

"Ralts!"

"Alright! Thanks Pikachu." Max said to our little buddy as he jumped up onto my shoulder to get a closer look at the Ralts as I knelt before it at Max's side, giving them the space they needed.

"Let's find out more about this cutie." May suggested then flipped open her Pokédex.

"Ralts, the feeling Pokémon. Ralts is the pre evolved form of Kirlia, it can use the horns on its head to read human emotions. Ralts rarely shows itself to humans, but may occasionally approach when it senses positive or happy feelings." Max gently put Ralts down on the pillow for extra comfort, smiling down at the little guy.

"I'm Max, and if you can read my feelings, then you can tell I'm happy."

"Snorunt Runt. Snorunt!" Snorunt got right up close to Ralts, who instantly wailed and turned away but Max quickly cried out.

"No Snorunt!" He grabbed Snorunt and jerked him around. "What are you doing scaring Ralts like that?!" He demanded and I quickly rescued Snorunt, holding in my arms.

"Cool it Max, Snorunt didn't mean any harm." I told him quickly, rubbing Snorunt's head as Ash had leaped over.

"Knock it off Snorunt, it's not nice." He reprimanded and Snorunt glared before grabbing Ash's hat and Max's glasses, freezing them with Icy Wind them slapped them back on, making both boys cry out and stomp around as they got a taste of the freezing cold as Snorunt went over to Ralts, a little more gently this time and Ralts began to laugh.

"No way! Snorunt made it laugh!" Max beamed then scratched the back of his head. "Well I guess we looked pretty funny."

"Maybe Ralts is feeling better now?" May said, smiling down at Ralts but Brock and I shared a look before we turned to the others.

"I don't think Ralts has completely recovered yet. It's still running a fever and it's pretty high, so we should get it to a Pokémon centre right away." He informed then looked to me. "Do you think your Latias or Charizard could get us there?" But sadly, I shook my head.

"No, with all the training I've been doing with Ash, all my Pokémon are worn out. Neither Latias or Charizard have the strength to carry themselves at the moment, let alone all of us." I informed but Max merely walked forwards and turned around.

"Then hop aboard Ralts, I'll be your transportation on this journey." He decided and amazingly, Ralts climbed right on to his back.

"Are you sure you're up for that Max?" May asked him but he only smiled at her proudly.

"What? You think I can't do it? Well then listen up everybody. I now take full responsibility for this Ralts." He proclaimed and Ash instantly cheered.

"Great, that's the spirit Max!"

"In that case, let's go!" He said before marching forwards. We all started running, following the main path that we knew would take us straight to the closest Pokémon Centre, everything quickly being tossed back into bags as we hurried to get Ralts some help.

We were running along as fast as we could when suddenly a well dressed gentleman appeared in front of us. "I say good show! I see you've found my dear lost Ralts, I was ever so worried." The man said but I instantly sensed deception, and the Ralts hid further behind Max. "Your two sisters have been searching everywhere for you." Suddenly two Pokémon stepped into view, a Gardevoir and a Kirlia, dancing around as Ash tilted his head slightly to the side.

"So I guess you must be a Pokémon trainer?"

"Why yes twerp-I mean lad! In fact I'm the trainer of these three fabulous psychic Pokémon!" He declared, leaping up and spinning around. "Sir Lord James Jameson, esquire!" He declared, though the title made no sense at all.

"Well the thing is Lord James, your Ralts has a fever so we were taking it to the Pokémon Centre." Brock told the strange trainer who instantly yelled loudly.

"Boulderdash! As it's trainer I am of course responsible, I shall take it at once." He held out his hand for Ralts but Max stepped back with Ralts.

"Why's Ralts afraid of you?" He demanded and the lord stiffened.

"Oh? It's not frightened! The fever must be affecting its brain." But I stepped out in front of Max protectively, shielding both him and Ralts from view.

"You're lying. I don't need to be able to sense auras to know that. You're as shifty as a Shiftree, and you're not getting your hands on this Ralts! Who are you?" I demanded to know and instantly the Gardevoir glared at us.

"Prepare for trouble little miss smarty pants." She spoke and instantly, I realised that it was only Jessie dressed up as a very convincing Gardevoir.

"Make it double, your Ralts has no chance!" James's voice responded and instantly I was angry. Those jerks dare think they can take a sick Ralts just to sell it to their boss? Well they'll have another thing coming.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all people within our nation…"

"Yeah we get it already!" I yelled at them, going for a Pokéball. "It's time to teach you three losers not to pick on sick Pokémon!"

"Oh no you don't, Dustox! Whirlwind!" Jessie beat me to the chase and suddenly we were blasted with a full blown gale which hammered against us, causing everyone to cry out and shield their faces.

"Go Cacnea, Pin Missile!" James answered then yelped, ducking quickly as his Cacnea tried to go to hug him. "Now!" Cacnea turned and the ground suddenly began to explode with the silver trails of powerful Pin Missile, making everyone split ways but I grabbed Max and Ralts, diving out the way and Snorunt followed us.

"Don't worry Ralts, I'll protect you!" Max said as I hid them both against me. The guys all fought against Dustox, Serviper and Cacnea with Combusken, Lombre and Pikachu, however when Ralts gave a weak moan, Max gasped then poked his head out the bushes. "Ralts is getting weaker!"

"It must have something much worse than a cold." Brock said so I grabbed Max and hauled him back.

"We'll get Ralts out of here, you three hold them off!" I called then nodded to Max. "Let's go Max, Ralts is depending on you."

"Right. Just hold on Ralts, we'll get you to Nurse Joy as soon as we can." We continued running, me leading the way as we forged our way to the Pokémon Centre until we heard someone calling out behind.

"Snorunt! Snorunt!"

"Huh? Snorunt?" I questioned then smiled as he caught up with us. "Hey there! Are you worried about Ralts too? That's so sweet. Here, climb aboard, we'll run faster that way." I said so Snorunt jumped onto my shoulder and I carried him as we continued to run, climbing up a path along the edge of a cliff and I kept Max on the far side to keep him away from the danger, however as I looked ahead, our path was blocked by Team Rocket.

"Stop right there!" Jessie ordered, pointing at us all and I instantly leaped forwards, covering Max and Ralts.

"You'll pay for that last attack."

"And one Ralts ought to cover it." Jessie agreed with James's remark.

"No way! You're not getting paid anything, your services are no longer required." I said then pulled out a Pokéball. "Kirlia, I need your help, let's go!"

"Kirlia…" She trilled, spinning around but in two moments, had the entire situation sussed, looking at the sick Ralts then turned a glare on Team Rocket. "Kirlia!" I knew she was tired, but with Ralts's health and safety on the line, I knew I could put my faith in her.

"Dustox, use Psybeam!"

"Cacnea, you use Needle Arm!" James answered as his new Chimecho appeared, chiming behind them.

"Go Kirlia, use Magical Leaf and then Confusion!" I said and Kirlia instantly launched her attacks, dancing between the two Pokémon to dodge their attacks. "Max, it's up to you now. Go and take Ralts to Nurse Joy whilst I hold off Team Rocket." I said to him and he looked at me with wide eyes. "I know you can do it, I have faith in you." I said then put Snorunt down. "You go too Snorunt, help keep Ralts safe. Now go, both of you!" I turned back to the battle. "Teleport!"

Max ran for it, circling around and as Jessie tried to turn and chase after him, Kirlia cried out and used a powerful blast of psychic energy, ripping up the rocks and launched them at Team Rocket, signalling she had finally learned Psychic. "Alright! Great job Kirlia, now use Magical Leaf again!"

"Chimecho, Heal Bell! Cacnea, Pin Missile!" Suddenly the energy of the Pokémon we were facing was restored and Kirlia gasped, taking a step back and before she could move, was hammered with Pin Missile, causing her to cry out and fly backwards.

"No Kirlia!"

"Dustox, use Whirlwind!" Jessie ordered, punching the air in front of her with a smirk and suddenly, Kirlia was wrapped up in such a powerful blast of wind that the dust rose around her and she was no longer visible.

"Kirlia! Kirlia no!" Suddenly there was a bright glowing light, illuminating Kirlia's shape and she grew taller within the Whirlwind, the tassels of her dress stretching into a long flowing gown until finally, with an intense of psychic energy, my Kirlia blew back Team Rocket and Dustox, forcing the wind to cut out and before me stood Gardevoir, elegant and regal as she glared.

One of my Pokéballs burst open and Ralts appeared on my shoulder, staring with a similar expression to me of shock as Gardevoir lifted up Team Rocket from the ground as well as all their Pokémon. "What? No fair! This is against the rules, put me down!" Jessie wailed as Meowth and James kicked out.

"If we can't get the other Ralts, we'll take these two instead. Let's get them!" Meowth pointed but neither of them could move.

"Gardevoir…Gardevoir!" My newly evolved Gardevoir spoke in an angry tone before blasting Team Rocket out of sight, high up into the sky and so fast that we didn't even have time to hear their exit tune. Oh well.

"Ralts?"

"Gardevoir! You evolved! That's so cool!" I cheered but when my Gardevoir fell to the ground, all excitement disappeared from me and I was running to her side. "Gardevoir, what's wrong?" I felt her temperature and she was a little hotter than normal. "I've pushed you guys way too hard. I'm so sorry. Here, I have some medicine to make you feel better." I said, pulling out some Super Potion and sprayed it on Gardevoir to store some of her energy. "You take a long rest now, and thank you. You really are something Gardevoir."

"Gardevoir…" She murmured softly to me, smiling as I rubbed her head then returned her to her Pokéball.

"Come on Ralts, we'd better get to the Pokémon Centre to check up on Max." I said and Ralts nodded his head then gripped onto my hat for balance as I ran all the way. I burst through the doors and went straight to the E-R, finding Max was standing at the window looking inside with Snorunt.

"How's it looking squirt?" I questioned him softly and Max turned to me with tears in his eyes.

"Ruby…I can't stand waiting here!" He cried out then flung his arms around my waist, sobbing into me as I put my arms around him and gently comforted him.

"It's okay Max, Ralts is going to be fine." I assured him as my own Ralts started to cry too, overwhelmed by the mixed emotions that were spiralling around us. We'd only been standing there for about a minute when the others entered, and Max instantly turned to his sister May for comforting as well and she held him close, smiling warmly.

"You really came through Max." She told him, and so the waiting began. I returned Ralts to his Pokéball so that he would stop crying then handed over my Pokéballs to a Chansey who took care of them for me before bringing them back, my Pokémon all back to fighting shape.

By the time the light over the E-R turned off, it was morning and both Max and May were sleeping against me wrapped up in blankets, my arms around them both to make them as comfortable as possible, however when we heard the ping everyone was wide awake and looking at Nurse Joy as she left the room.

"Your Ralts is going to be fine now." She informed us and we all smiled and sighed with relief. That's great! At least Ralts isn't in any danger anymore.

"That's a relief." May said as Max ran forwards.

"Can I see it?" He questioned then ran inside, the Ralts turning to look at him then beamed. "Hi there!" He said with a bright smile then laughed as the two ran to one another, Ralts leaping off the bed and Max swung around with it before hugging it close.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt jumped up and down whilst kicking his legs, smiling broadly as he celebrated his new pal's recovery.

"Was it in bad condition?" Brock asked Nurse Joy, keeping his cool for once as the situation required him to be.

"By the time it got here the cold had turned into pneumonia, if it had gone even just another hour or two without treatment, I'm not sure anything would have saved it." Nurse Joy revealed and we all turned our proudest expressions on Max.

"Awesome Max, you're a hero!" Ash told him as his sister beamed at him.

"I've never been more proud of you." Max turned around with a laugh, Ralts still clinging onto him but then his face fell and he looked to Ralts with a sad expression. What's wrong? Why the sudden long face?

"Know what Ralts? You've gotta go back." He lowered his head whilst choking back a sob. "It's time." He said then walked out of the E-R with Ralts in his arms.

"What's he doing?" May asked so we all followed him, not questioning his motives but just watched to see what he would do. He led us outside into the crisp morning daylight where he walked a little way down the road.

"Are you guys there? Gardevoir! Kirlia your Ralts is all better now! It's ready to go home with you again!" Max explained, looking around but for a moment, no one appeared. Then a Kirlia and a Gardevoir _did_ appear, only there was something off about them. Of course it was Team Rocket.

"Team Rocket will never learn, will they?" Ash questioned as my hand slipped for a Pokéball. Maybe I should show them what a _real_ Gardevoir look like.

"Do they really expect us to believe this?" May questioned as my fingers curled around Gardevoir's Pokéball.

"Gardevoir, Kirlia, I know you dearly love your Ralts." They both smiled at us and nodded their heads at Max's blank tone and I stopped in my tracks, wanting to see what he would do so I let go of the Pokéball and let my hand drop to my side. "Then I'm sure you'll never want it to fall into the hands of Team Rocket!" Max suddenly yelled then flung out a hand. "Come on Ralts, blast 'em with Psychic!"

Ralts leaped up off of Max's shoulder and flipped over its own head, eyes glowing with a light outcry before landing on the ground and the Psychic attack blasted the ground, shooting towards Team Rocket before blasting them off into the sky. Wow, the little guy can really pack some punch. Wait, where's James?

Suddenly from within the bushes, James was flung up into the air with a blue glow and shot up into the sky right after his duo of friends. Neat. Wonder who did that? That's when the real Gardevoir and Kirlia appeared, using Teleport to appear before Max. "Here's your Ralts, just like I said."

"Ralts!"

"Voir."

"Kirlia!" They both thanked Max and he gave a sad smile.

"You're welcome. I wanted to help." He told them but then came the difficult part. He turned his head away, struggling to come to terms with the part where he had to say goodbye. "Hey, I promised right?" He finally said then let go of Ralts's hand. "Bye Ralts, you take care." Max said as he slowly stepped back away from the Ralts. "Be good okay?" But the Ralts called out in distress, not understanding before leaping at Max and flinging his arms about him. "Oh Ralts, I love you too!" Max began to cry, holding onto Ralts tightly.

I took a deep breath, struggling to keep the tears in my eyes at bay though I forced a smile as I watched the two destined partners as they tried to say farewell. "Time to go." But as Max pushed Ralts back, it shook its head and tried to move back closer. "I don't want to say goodbye to you either Ralts, but I don't think we have any other choice." He said and Ralts lowered its head. "But what do you think about when I'm older, when I'm a trainer, maybe you and I could go travelling together?" He suggested and Ralts instantly smiled and nodded his head. "That's awesome! So you can plan on me coming back for you someday." As he said the words I marked our location down on the map, circling it in red to make sure none of us ever forgot. "Then it's a deal." Max said, standing upright.

The Gardevoir nodded her head to Max in return to his gesture then used Teleport to leave, the Kirlia following and then finally Ralts, who looked up at Max with adoring eyes until the last moment when it disappeared. Faintly I heard a beautiful cry that rested on the wind as the leaves blew from the trees and then a small voice spoke.

 _"Promise me Max, promise you'll come and get me."_ Was that Ralts? Of course! Most if not all Pokémon that are psychic can use telepathy to communicate with other Pokémon and people. Ralts was obviously speaking to Max and I was hearing it too.

"Promise? Yes Ralts, I promise! I promise I'll come back for you, I will!" He called out and I looked to May before we both nodded our heads and walked forwards as Max began to cry.

"Hey Max, it's okay. You and Ralts will be together again soon." May said, resting her hand on Max's shoulder as I placed mine on his other.

"Yeah squirt, you two were meant to travel together, so Ralts won't ever forget your promise, and neither will you. When you're old enough, you'll come back here and find Ralts. Then after that, I doubt there'll be any stopping you from doing great things." I gave Max a wink then ruffled his hair. "So chin up, okay?"

"Okay." He nodded his head then looked down the road, taking a deep breath then smiled, happy to watch the breeze carry the leaves in a dancing routine across our eyes, spiralling and twisting before settling gracefully on the ground.


	46. Chapter 47

"Whoa!" We all chorused as our boat sailed into Sootopolis City, surrounded by walls from a crater made from a meteorite long ago. "Sootopolis City." Ash said, clenching his fists in determination.

"It's even prettier than I thought." May said as we all gazed at the perfect houses and the crystal clear water that glittered. Our boat pulled in at the dock and instantly Ash leaped over the side, unable to contain his excitement for his upcoming gym battle.

"There's nothing better than earning a new badge!" He declared as we all got off the boat too then looked at Ash unanimously.

"We'd better hurry up and get there before Ash explodes." May said, placing a hand on her hip.

"He's pumped alright."

"Yeah, well Sootopolis City is all that's left between him and the Hoenn league championship." Brock reminded us just as fireworks began to burst into life a little way off from where we were, exploding into bright colours visible even in the daylight. "Fireworks."

"There must be a festival!" May squealed then raced away, heading straight for the display. "Come on!"

"Right behind you!" Max answered and I laughed before jumping off the pier then ran after the others. We found ourselves in a large open air stadium with rows upon rows of seats being full to the brim with people. Wonder what's going on.

"Since our beautiful town has always been known and praised as the 'water city', it is only fitting that a new piece of water art has been brought to life here!" A voice called out, echoing over the people as they cheered excitedly. "And so, I'll introduce it to you! And as the mayor of Sootopolis City, I can think of no greater honour. But of course, none of this would have been possible without the tireless help of our beloved gym leader Juan. Now without any further ado, it gives me great pleasure to introduce our man Juan!"

As a man in expensive and extravagant looking clothes descended the steps, everyone began to shout and chant their love for him, voices rising up several notches. "Everyone's going crazy over him." Ash said, blinking slightly as he finally got a look at his opponent.

"I guess he's a star." May said as Juan reached the end of his walk then flung up his hands with a laugh. Without warning several powerful funnels of water sprung up from the water that surrounded the platform and joined at the centre over the building, drizzling slightly to reflect the light prettily and form an arching rainbow. Neat.

"I'm truly humbled." Juan told everyone with a bow and the crowd went crazy for him once more. "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being here on this special day. I'd also like to thank the mayor for his kind words but I'm afraid they're far better suited to my Pokémon! Dear Pokémon, come greet your fans!" He called out and suddenly shapes shot out of the water, landing on the podiums prepared with a mixture of different water types, last of all being a Milotic which leaped elegantly out of the water then stood before Juan, drawing all eyes to itself.

"He's a water Pokémon trainer, how cool is that?" Max said excitedly and I smirked to myself. What Misty wouldn't give to be here right now. She'd love this show, and all the Pokémon.

"They all took the stage beautifully! That must be the prettiest Milotic I've ever seen!" May squealed at the end as she clasped her hands together, gazing lovingly at the Milotic as it sparkled in the light.

"They've all been raised well that's for sure." Brock noted as May continued to stare with glittering eyes and smile.

"You know Juan could be a really great Pokémon coordinator!" We were treated to a wonderful display of the awesomeness of water type Pokémon, displaying power, grace and beauty in every move until the stadium was completely filled with bubbles and the spray of water.

"Ladies and gentleman, thank you all so much! Now we'd like to…" There was a tone of beautifully melancholic singing, a single note that drew out and instantly caught everyone's attention.

"What is that? Where's that sad tone coming from?" That's when we noticed the Team Rocket balloon lowering down from the sky.

"From us, up here!" Jessie answered as their balloon lowered down.

"That's right! Chimecho's voice is the perfect thing for your water theme." James said proudly as his Chimecho sang out again. I have to admit, it is a very pretty sound.

"Such a wonderful tone, it's obvious your Chimecho has been raised with much love." Juan complimented and James instantly blushed as the balloon hovered before them. "Thank you!"

"I must assume you're famous, talented artists of the highest order." Juan declared and I arched an eyebrow. Team Rocket? No. Famous? Famous with us maybe, we can't seem to get rid of them. Talented? Definitely not. Highest order? Try the _lowest_ order. There isn't a dirty trick they won't pull.

"Prepare for trouble in its highest form!"

"Make it double since our trouble is far from the norm." You can say that again. When hasn't Team Rocket managed to mess things up? As they began to recite the motto we ran down the many steps to the bottom of the stadium, where just as they'd finished, Ash called out.

"Careful Juan!"

"Those three are dangerous!" May agreed with worry for the water Pokémon. However Juan didn't seem concerned.

"How can they be dangerous?" He questioned so I pointed to them.

"They steal people's Pokémon, and you can bet they're after yours right now! They're from an organisation called Team Rocket, it's what they do!" I explained but then Jessie yelled at me.

"Hey! Big mouth!" I stuck out my tongue at her in answer.

"As a fellow artiste I know that a gym leader's Pokémon are invaluable." James said to Juan as Meowth gave a catty smile.

"So we'll artfully steal them away."

"Such a colossal waste, opting for money over the gift of exceptional Pokémon." Exceptional Pokémon? He did realise exactly _who_ he was talking to, right?

"Exceptional Pokémon don't pay the bills." Jessie informed him simply with a smirk.

"But your Pokémon will." James added as Meowth punched his paw onto a big red button. No! Doesn't anyone know that you never ever touch the big red button?

"Don't you mean ours?" Meowth growled and a huge net fired out of the bottom of the basket, capturing all of the water Pokémon but then a triad of rods appeared and shocked all the Pokémon with a bought of electricity. That's not fair! You can't do that to Pokémon, it's just cruel!

"We've got to go help Juan!"

"And those Pokémon!" I agreed and everyone called out in agreement, however as we took a step forwards to help them all out, Juan stopped us with a slightly amused tone.

"I'm genuinely touched by your concern, but please have no fear." He said and we blinked before looking into the net. The Pokémon had grouped together to hide behind another Pokémon who could deflect the electric attacks, one using Safeguard and the others using Mud Sport and Mirror Coat.

"So by pooling their defensive attacks then the whole group is safe!"

"What a great idea!" May agreed with Brock as we watched with smiles on our faces. This is so cool!

"Alright Milotic, Iron Tail now!" Milotic cut through the net easily, freeing everyone from its grasp as Juan closed his eyes into a smirk. "Let's see…how about we wrap this up with Twister?" He suggested and Milotic instantly lifted its tail, shooting a spiralling plume which struck the Team Rocket balloon and sent them flying with just one attack. Awesome! "And you young youngsters, I'm assuming this is your first visit to our fair city?" He questioned and we all nodded our heads, answering together.

"That's right."

"Sir, my name is Ash and I'm from Pallet Town. I'm here to challenge you to a gym battle!" Ash informed and Juan arched an eyebrow as the corner of his mouth quirked up also.

"I see, then I accept your challenge." Not only did we get to see the rest of the show, but afterwards Juan invited us to return to the gym with him in his private boat where he revealed his history as a Pokémon coordinator, and how he specialised in water Pokémon because he enjoyed discovering new ways to defend his Pokémon against weaknesses such as electricity. When we got to the gym, or rather a mansion, we were all met by Sebastian, the butler of the gym who led us inside to where there was a giant swimming pool as a battlefield, making each of us awe at its enormous size.

"If you'd please step inside the trainer's box Master Ash." Sebastian said and Ash instantly laughed and ran forwards.

"Oh yeah!" Sebastian then turned to us.

"Master Brock, Master Max, Mistress May and Mistress Ruby, if you'd kindly take a seat in the observers' stands, then we can begin." I kind of like the sound of that. Mistress Ruby. I can definitely get used to this place. As we took our seats Sebastian called out the rules, where the trainers use five Pokémon and the first round is where they engage in a double battle. No way, that's awesome! This should be a great battle. One of the greatest.

Sure enough, within the first move, I was already on the edge of my seat. With Pikachu using Thunderbolt at Sealeo, Seaking moved in to block the attack with Horn Drill and deflected it back, hitting Snorunt instead. Wow!

The next time, Ash used Thunder instead but with the same result, only this time Pikachu leaped in Snorunt's way, taking the deflected attack to minimise damage to either Pokémon.

"Now Sealeo, use Blizzard." The Blizzard was so powerful that the entire stadium was filled with icy air, causing us all to shiver and out teeth clattered together.

"Hey, we can make use of Blizzard, Snorunt! Icy Wind!" I heard Ash call and Snorunt instantly launched the attack, creating a large ball in the centre of the pool where it had frozen out the Blizzard.

"Go get that ice out of the way." Juan told his Pokémon and they both used an attack to blast the ice apart, where Ash then used it to help his Pokémon to jump, getting closer to their targets. "Well that was certainly an excellent move!" Juan smiled, appreciating Ash's style.

"Now Pikachu, use Iron Tail, Snorunt! Headbutt!" Ash called out and they both powered up their attacks.

"Sealeo use Aurora Beam and Seaking, use Hyper Beam." Juan spoke calmly and both attacks were launched. Pikachu was able to move out the way even in mid-air, but Snorunt didn't move fast enough and he was knocked out of the battle with the single hit.

After that little lesson, I could tell Ash wasn't all too happy, however he kept his cool and focus, calling out Corphish as his next Pokémon. "Corphish, use Bubblebeam!" Ash ordered and Corphish instantly ploughed powerful bubbles at the two Pokémon from both pincers.

"Dive in to dodge." Juan said with a slight drone. "Then Sealeo use Aurora Beam and Seaking use Horn Attack." The two Pokémon shot towards each of Ash's Pokémon, neither of them knowing which one was going to appear where.

"Pikachu it's coming up from below!" Ash yelled and Pikachu instantly leaped out the way, however when Seaking shot out from the water, there wasn't enough time for Corphish to move. "Corphish no!" But the spunky little Pokémon turned then grabbed the horn, easily holding Seaking out of the water.

"Seaking, use Horn Drill." I shot a look at Juan. He could take an interest, you know. Just then Seaking used its attack and Corphish was whirled around then tossed into the water.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on Seaking!"

"Sealeo, use Aurora Beam!" Juan quickly countered however Pikachu's attack got in first, but then the confusion happened. With Sealeo's Aurora Beam hitting the ice behind both Pokémon, no one could tell who got hit as the blast covered the water in a slight mist until finally, it cleared away to reveal Seaking was no longer able to battle.

"But wait, where's Pikachu and Corphish?" Brock wondered, all of us searching the water until we heard Pikachu's voice.

"Pika! Pika Pika!" I laughed and jumped up, cheering loudly as Corphish surfed the water with Pikachu riding on his back. Now that's awesome, Pikachu is surfing! I hope the lighting in here is good for cameras, because I've been taking pictures like crazy.

The two Pokémon surfed towards Sealeo, who used Ice Ball again and again, but each time Corphish and Pikachu deflected, until the fourth time when it got super large and slammed into both of them, launching them back and they landed on solid platforms on the water. "What?!" Ash's eyes went wide. "But how? Ice Ball should take longer to power up the more its used!"

"You forget, _my_ Pokémon are trained to be elegant and speedy." Juan reminded Ash simply before returning to the battle. "Sealeo, use Ice Ball one more time."

"Pikachu, use Thunder!" Pikachu instantly leaped up into the air and blasted the ice rock with Thunder, keeping it at bay but it didn't break or shatter, it being too powerful and strong.

"That's my fifth Ice Ball, you can't just break it Ash." Juan informed Ash who instantly had a competitive glow in his eyes.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that. Full power Pikachu!" Ash called and Pikachu turned up the heat, giving everything he had at the ice rock until it finally blasted into large chunks which fell down at Sealeo, causing it damage. "Quick Corphish, use Crab Hammer!" Ash yelled and Corphish instantly surfed forwards, whacking Sealeo back against the wall and it fainted upon impact.

"Sealeo is unable to battle, the first match goes to the challenger, Ash from Pallet Town!" Sebastian ruled. "Trainers will now swap boxes as we switch up the battlefield for the second round." Ash and Juan switched places as a pretty land decorated field was pulled up with a body of water in the middle.

Ash didn't waste any time in choosing Grovyle, with Juan electing for his Luvdisc. Kicking off with Bullet Seed, Juan countered with a dodge and Water Pulse, showing off Luvdisc and its speed however Grovyle was pretty fast too, and it dodge before going in for Leaf Blade.

"Dodge and use Sweet Kiss!" Juan said brightly and Luvdisc leaped back before kissing the air, sending a pink heart which instantly made Grovyle fall in love and become infatuated with Luvdisc. Sneaky move, I like it.

"Wake up Grovyle! You're going to get clobbered if you just stand there, move it!" Ash tried but at his order, Grovyle shook himself off and began to attack a tree, taking on damage. Uh oh, this is bad.

"Ash you've got to call Grovyle back right away!" Brock yelled but before Ash could move Juan had Luvdisc use Water Gun, which added onto the damage Grovyle had done to himself, knocked him out of the match. Ouch. That's gonna sting.

The battle was intense, Corphish being Ash's next chosen Pokémon. With Luvdisc being so speedy, he just couldn't keep up with it, even when it dived underwater and Corphish used Crab Hammer on top of the surface to get it out into the open, it dodged the Vice Grip in the blink of an eye.

"Luvdisc, use Water Gun."

"Corphish, dodge and use Bubblebeam on that mist!" I guess Ash must have remembered about Luvdisc's ability Swift Swim, where in heavy rain its speed is doubled. Great job genius. With the mist now nullified, Ash went ahead with Crab Hammer, knocking it out of the battle in just one hit. It may have been fast, but its defensive power was still not quite up to speed.

Unfortunately, Corphish's winning streak was broken with Whishcash, a large Pokémon that knocked him out with just one hit. Now Ash is in trouble. Both he and Juan only have two Pokémon left. Ash is going to have to make every move count if this is to work.

His next Pokémon choice was Swellow, which was a good call as even when Whishcash grabbed a hold of Swellow and used Tickle attack followed by Hyper Beam, Swellow was strong enough to take it even at close range and was back in the battle.

"Well Ash I'm impressed. Your Swellow is quite strong." Juan complimented.

"Yeah you've got that right. Go Swellow, Ariel Ace!"

"Dive down Whishcash." Juan ordered simply but Ash wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Go after it!" Juan's eyes shot wide open to see Swellow dive into the water, moving just as fast then powered up underneath its opponent, launching it out of the water.

"Now use Hyper Beam!" Whishcash smartly used one of its feelers to grab onto a podium and swung around, using Hyper Beam in mid-air however Swellow used Quick Attack to dodge it, going too fast for the attack to hit.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Into the water!" Juan ordered and his Pokémon instantly dove forwards, however Swellow's speed was just too great and with a powerful hit just before Whishcash could enter the water, it was knocked out of the battle. Sweet!

Juan complimented Ash on his combination techniques, using Swellow's Quick Attack to increase the power and speed of its Aerial Ace. I have to say, Ash sure knows how to put on a great show just as much as Juan does. However, now that he was onto his last Pokémon, we all knew which one it would be, and it was definitely one of his strongest.

"Milotic, I choose you!" Juan had Milotic use Hydro Pump but Swellow dodged with Aerial Ace, landing a direct hit however Milotic was very strong and it didn't seem to have done much damage. "Iron Tail Milotic!" At least now Juan seemed very interested in how the battle played out. I guess he's not going to underestimate Ash again.

"Swellow, use Double Team to dodge it!" Ash cleverly eluded the attack, getting Swellow out of the way however Juan remained unbothered.

"Use Twister." Back to the bored voice. Still, with a powerful attack like that, Swellow was knocked out cold, having already taken damage from a Hyper Beam, it proved just a little too much for it. Ash was dumbfounded, mouth dropping open in shock before recovering.

"Are you ready Pikachu?" He asked and Pikachu nodded his head.

"Pikachu." He said determinedly before leaping out onto the battlefield. With everything residing on this last battle, it's either win or lose for Ash now. Let's hope it's the former rather than the latter.

"Pikachu, use Thunder!" With a powerful start, Pikachu scored a direct hit, doing some serious damage to Milotic since it had an electric attack weakness. When the blast was over, Milotic looked rough, trembling from the attack though Juan only smirked.

"Milotic, use Recover." Everyone's jaws dropped as Milotic began to glow a bright gold, recovering all its energy, meaning that Pikachu's Thunder attack had been completely wasted. Of course, it would make sense that Juan would have Milotic learn Recover, that way it could battle against electric types for longer and maintain a pristine appearance.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash directed, pulling himself back together and Pikachu instantly leaped up into the air with his tail glowing bright white, aiming straight for Milotic.

"You use Iron Tail too Milotic." Juan directed and Milotic complied and hit Pikachu with the same move, only more powerful and Pikachu was flung back. "Now, Milotic, use Twister." Uh oh, not Twister _again_. Milotic dipped its tail into the water and created a Twister with added water elements, making direct contact with Pikachu who took the damage heavily.

"Pikachu use Thunder!" Instantly bolts of electricity could be seen within the water, dancing off and vaporised it almost instantly, freeing Pikachu from any further damage. "Now follow up with Quick Attack!" Pikachu powered forwards with so much force that he actually threw Milotic back, earning an impressed nod from Juan before he continued.

"Milotic, use Hydro Pump."

"Dodge and use Thunderbolt!" Ash countered and Pikachu sprang up into the air, missing the attack then hit with a super effective move, however Milotic somehow managed to snap it off with a glare at Pikachu.

"Now Recover." Milotic restored most of its energy, once again making its appearance perfect and beautiful for everyone to admire. "Now dive underwater Milotic." Juan directed so Milotic powered forwards and disappeared into the water. "Use Iron Tail."

"Dodge and grab onto Milotic!" Ash ordered quickly as Pikachu raced forwards just as Milotic sprang back out of the water, tail glowing brightly as it aimed straight for Pikachu. Juan's eyes went wide as Pikachu dodged expertly then began to race up Milotic's body.

"Hydro Pump!" But Pikachu dodged again. When it comes to speed, only Swellow and Pikachu are the best.

"Now flip it in the water!" Ash called as Pikachu grabbed onto the long pink fins then jumped over its head, pulling Milotic with him back into the water where they were completely surrounded. "Now Pikachu, use Thunder at full power!" Instantly I beamed, realising Ash's tactic. Great thinking genius, water conducts electricity.

The water began to glow bright yellow and white before a massive plume of water shot out from the centre of the pool, rising up in an incredible display as it crackled with energy, making everyone awe at it before the water tumbled back down, everything going silent until finally, Milotic rose back up to the surface with Pikachu standing on its body, though Milotic was now too damaged to move.

"Milotic is unable to battle. The match goes to Pikachu and the victor Ash!" Sebastian ruled and instantly everyone cheered as Pikachu leaped into Ash's arms, the two of them celebrating together as Juan stared in complete shock before finally, nodding his head with a smile of acceptance.

Once he'd returned Milotic to its Pokéball we all went outside, Juan leading the way until finally he turned to face Ash. "Turning what seemed certain defeat into a victory is what extraordinary trainers are all about Ash, and that's what you did. Promise me you'll continue to take good care of those excellent Pokémon of yours, alright?" Juan arched an eyebrow at Ash with a smile as he nodded his head.

"Of course.

"Then here's proof of your victory at the Sootopolis gym. The Rain Badge. It's yours, you've earned it." Ash took it with a joyful laugh, eyes wide and shining happily.

"Wow, thanks a lot Juan." With that Ash spun around. "Yes! We've got, a Rain Badge!"

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered after Ash and we all laughed.

"That's great Ash!" May said with a dip of her head as I gave Ash a thumb's up.

"Knew you could do it genius."

"Way to go guys."

"So Ash, how does it feel to finally get your eighth badge?" Brock asked and Ash gave us a huge smile.

"It feels great!"

"Eighth? Then you know what that means. Winning eight badges has earned you the right to compete in the Hoenn League championships son." Juan informed Ash who turned to face him again.

"Right!"

"Congratulations Master Ash." Sebastian gave Ash a bow. "The next Hoenn League championships is scheduled to commence three months from now, in a wonderful place called Ever Grande City." He informed us and Ash instantly wore his determined expression.

"Then I've got three months to get ready for it!"

"Better get started right away." Brock suggested as I gave a laugh.

"Yeah, and we'd better get there right away, just in case you get us lost again. We'll need time to spare if that happens or we'll miss the whole thing." Then Juan turned to May, giving her a kind smile.

"And as for you May, there's a Pokémon contest coming up soon in Pacifidlog Town." He informed and instantly we all cheered.

"That's great, thank you!"

"Hey, that's not too far from here." Max told us all, looking at his Pokémon Navigator.

"Awesome! Watching Ash and Juan battle has got me super psyched!" She spun around then leaped up into the air, punching it excitedly. "Let's go!" And with that she was off, running down the lane and we all laughed before chasing after her, turning and waving back at Juan as we called out our goodbyes.

When I turned to face the road, I smiled to myself. I'll be back here someday, and next time, _I'll_ be the one battling and winning _my_ eighth badge to enter the Hoenn League.


	47. Chapter 48

We stopped off at the Pokémon Centre so that Nurse Joy could heal Ash's Pokémon, then it was straight sailing to Pacifidlog Town. May was super psyched for her contest, wanting to win her fifth and final ribbon so that she could enter the Grand Festival too.

The day before the contest, May was doing some move practice, and Ash was training with his Snorunt, who was trying to learn Ice Beam, however he couldn't quite master it. It was a little out of control, being such a strong move for such a little guy.

I myself was trying to do some training with Ralts, however things weren't going to plan, as Ralts kept on bursting into tears and jumping onto me whenever another Pokémon came near. Guess he still doesn't like strangers still.

"Ralts, you can't keep on clinging onto me like this. Think of Gardevoir, she won't be very impressed if she saw you like this, and you like her, right?" I questioned, trying to peel him off me for the tenth time. People were starting to look at us, arching their eyebrows and sniggering.

"Hey, I hope you're not planning on entering with _that_ snivelling wimp." One girl said to me and another laughed.

"Yeah! What's it going to do, pull a sympathy act?" Everyone began to laugh, making Ralts cry further until my shoulder was completely soaked so I changed my tactics, holding onto him in a reassuring hug as I glared at everyone else.

"I don't need to, because _I_ already have five ribbons, so I don't need to enter any more contests." I informed them all, making their laughter cut out as if I'd flipped a switch, their mouths dropping wide open. "Here, why don't you have a look?" I pulled out my ribbons case and flipped it open with a smirk, turning my head away in mock modesty as everyone gasped, seeing my freshly polished ribbons with awe. "Come on Ralts, let's go." I said and carried him away, leaving everyone to stare after us.

Once we were alone, I pulled him off me and set him down on the ground so I could crouch before him. "Hey it's okay, there's no need to cry. You're not a wimp, you're just very sensitive, and a sensitive guy is very rare to find, so that just makes you unique." I told him. "So come on, how about we try that attack one more time." I suggested then went over to some stones and picked them up. "Ready? Confusion!" I tossed them up into the air and Ralts instantly concentrated, focusing his energy on controlling the stones. His eyes glowed and the rocks floated in the air, making me cheer aloud before they dropped. "Oh…well you almost had it." I said brightly, reaching out and lifting him up as he snivelled. "How about some ice cream?"

"Ralts!" Instantly he perked up, so I turned around and walked forwards. Before I knew it, I was blasted with an icy cold Ice Beam, freezing me into a statue with Ralts as I cried out, shivering. "I said ice cream…not Ice Beam." My teeth clattered together as Snorunt danced around before me and Ash ran over.

"Ruby! I'm so sorry, don't worry, I'll get out of there. Torkoal, use Flamethrower!" Ash called and he let out Torkoal, who instantly used Flamethrower on the ice and melted it through, before blasting both Ralts and I with intense heat.

"AGH! HOT, HOT!" I yelled at the top of my voice and Torkoal stopped before bursting into tears.

"Torkoal!" Shaking myself off, I gave Torkoal a smile as Ash rubbed the back of his head guiltily.

"It's not your fault Torkoal, thanks for helping us out." Then I turned on Ash. Glaring I whacked the back of his head, hammering him into the ground with a splat then dusted myself off. "Great thinking genius. You almost barbequed us." But then, Ralts snapped out of his shock.

He cried out louder than I'd ever heard him wail before, crying from the hurt then jumped off my shoulder, running a few meters away from me. "Hey Ralts, don't go! It's okay!" I tried but then he used Teleport, disappearing from sight. "No! Ralts!" Great. Now he's disappeared.

"Sorry Ruby, guess I didn't think that one through." Ash said so I turned on him again, grabbing the front of his jacket and lifted him off the ground whilst bringing him almost nose to nose with me.

"Listen up genius, you'd better help me find Ralts, or you're going to be in a world of pain far beyond a headache, got it?" I threatened and he instantly began to sweat.

"Got it! Don't worry, we'll all help." He promised so I dropped him again, though Pikachu smartly jumped onto my shoulder for safety as I turned.

"Good. Now, Gardevoir! I need you to help me find Ralts." I said and brought her out as Ash called Swellow.

"Swellow! Search for Ralts by air, let's go!" Swellow instantly took to the skies, flying up as Gardevoir closed her eyes and tried to search for Ralts telepathically, but it seemed that she was unable to find a clear location. "Come on, let's follow Swellow." Ash said. "You too Snorunt, Torkoal." He gestured with a wave of his hand so we all ran off into the trees.

"Ralts! Ralts please come back! Ash didn't mean for you to get hurt!" I called out desperately, worried for my sweet little Ralts. "If you just come out, we can make it all better. I'll give you all the hugs you want!"

"Ralts, come here buddy, I'm sorry Torkoal went overboard with the Flamethrower, and I'm sorry Snorunt wasn't watching where he was directing his Ice Beam, but we don't quite have control over it yet." Ash spoke to thin air, still receiving no reply so I growled, clenching my fist tightly.

"This is all your fault Ash Ketchum, if you've scared away my Ralts for good, then you're in serious trouble!"

"Hey, take it easy." Ash said, trying to calm me down. "If you don't cool it, then we won't be able to focus right. You know Ralts best, so where would he go when he's scared?" I blinked and thought about it.

"To me. Or Gardevoir. He likes to hug someone when he's scared or upset about something, and we're the only two he really trusts. Right Gardevoir?"

"Gardevoir." She said whilst nodding her head. "Voir Gardevoir."

"Okay, you go Teleport around the island, try and find Ralts from a high vantage then use telepathy to try and find him, whilst I'll try with aura." I said and she nodded her head before disappearing. Ash and I continued to search, calling out for Ralts as I tried to focus in on his aura, but still I got nothing. "Ash…you don't think Ralts…has teleported to another island do you? Or just anywhere in the world?" I questioned him and he turned to look at me.

"Can Pokémon even Teleport that far?"

"I don't know." I admitted, lowering my head and sniffed as tears rose to my eyes. My poor little Ralts, I just want him back so I could be sure he was okay. He must be so scared right now, unable to find his way back. "Ralts! Come on buddy, I got Pokémon food just for you, it's your favourite!" I tried but still no answer.

"Swellow!" I looked up as Swellow returned.

"Swellow, did you find anything?" Ash asked but Swellow shook its head.

"Swellow Swellow."

"Aw nuts. Ruby's gonna kill me. Okay Swellow, keep searching." Ash called back up so Swellow flew off once more as my shoulders sagged. This is hopeless. We'll never find Ralts on this huge island, there's no way.

"Torkoal!" Torkoal began to cry so I walked over to comfort him.

"It's okay Torkoal, we'll find Ralts soon enough, maybe he's found somewhere really nice to relax and he's just hanging out there for a while." I suggested and Torkoal stopped crying and looked up at me.

"Torkoal?" He blinked. "Torkoal!" He then blew off steam, or rather, a whole load of smoke which instantly dusted me in a light black layer of soot. "Torkoal."

"Thanks buddy, I needed that." I said, giving a little smile before I dusted myself off.

"Pika!" Pikachu called. "Pika Pikachu!"

"Hey Pikachu, you find something?" Ash asked and ran over to where Pikachu had desperately called out.

"Snorunt!" Snorunt yelled and quickly we both pulled back the bushes to see a large river, rushing down the hill with a wide berth, the water moving so fast that it sprayed white foam back up like a froth. When I saw what had alarmed the Pokémon however, my heart stopped in place.

"Ralts!" Ralts was frozen on a rock, gripping on tightly as he trembled in fear, unable to move one inch. He must have teleported there by accident, it was sheer dumb luck he didn't fall into the river itself. "Hang on Ralts, I'm coming!" I cried out then jumped forwards, skidding down the rocks. "Just don't let go!"

"Ruby don't! It's too dangerous!" Ash yelled but I was still running forwards.

"Ralts…Ralts…" My sweet little Ralts whimpered but then, a sudden rush of water slammed into him, making him cry out as he was torn from the rock and flung out towards the open water. "Ralts!"

"No!" I yelled and without thinking, took a big leap across the river.

"Ruby!" Ash cried out, stopping at the side as I stretched out my arms, fingers reaching until finally, I caught my Ralts and I curled up, turning my back so that I hit the water first and shielded Ralts from the initial impact.

The cold rushed over me, sending my body into shock and my first instinct was to inhale, which was obviously the wrong thing to do. I swallowed a mouth full of water then instantly tried to cough it back up as the water slammed against me, dragging me away with the current as somehow, I managed to kick back to the surface, spluttering as I expelled the water.

"Ruby! Hang on we're coming!"

"Ash!" I cried out, seeing him run along the bank with Torkoal and Snorunt, Swellow flying overhead. "Listen Ralts, I need you to use Teleport to get us both to the bank, do you think you could do that?" I questioned but Ralts was still frozen in place, hiding against me as tears leaked down its race. "Ralts! Wake up, please!" I tried.

"Ruby look out!"

"Huh?!" I turned my head to see us heading straight for a rock so I twisted, turning my back and took the hit to protect Ralts, crying out as the solidness powered against my back. Ouch, that one really hurt. "Ralts, you gotta wake up right now!" My heart pounded heavily in my chest like a drum, making my blood pound in my ears as I heard the rush of water fall over a cliff, signalling a waterfall. "Ralts!"

"Swellow, try grab a hold of Ruby to pull them out!" Ash called and Swellow instantly dived down, grabbing a hold of my wrist with both talons then flapped its wings, desperately trying to lift us out the water but it was too strong, even for Swellow and I was ripped out of its grip, forcing it to let go quickly to save hurting me. "Okay then, Snorunt, Ice Beam let's go!"

"Snorunt! Sno…runt!" Out little friend jumped up and tried his Ice Beam against the water in an attempt to freeze it off, however the water quickly broke through as the Ice Beam couldn't focus on the one place, jumping everywhere and I yelped as one beam almost hit Ralts and I instead. Gasping for breath I closed my eyes and called out for Gardevoir, hoping she'd hear me. I couldn't pull out a Pokéball, I might lose it in this current. She's my last hope.

"Ruby, the waterfall! You've got to get out of there _now_! RUBY!" Ash yelled as I cried out, feeling the air suddenly sweep over me and I did the only thing I could think off.

"Swellow catch!" I threw Ralts upwards, making him blink awake as Swellow caught him and I tumbled over the side of the waterfall, flailing my legs and arms as I closed my eyes and tried to block out the fact that I was about to plummet into a very long drop.

However when I realised I wasn't moving, I stopped panicking and opened my eyes to see that I was…flying. Yeah! I'm flying! Turning my head, I saw Swellow flying just above me with Ralts in its grasp, arms held out with glowing eyes as he held me up in the air. "Alright! Ralts, you realise what this is? This is a full Psychic attack! You've gone way beyond the mark of Confusion!" I cheered happily before rubbing my head under my hat. "Uh…do you think you could maybe put me down now please?"

"Ralts!" Ralts pulled me back to the bank then dropped me gently down, though Ash was instantly there with his arms to catch me and pull me back from the edge as Swellow out down Ralts.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Ash asked and I nodded my head.

"I'm fine. But Ralts! You scared me half to death!" I declared then ran forwards, Ralts smiling as he leaped into my arms. "Don't ever disappear like that again. You had me so worried." I said, tears sliding down my face as I held Ralts and Torkoal cried with me, blowing off steam as he did so.

"Gardevoir." Gardevoir then appeared, sighing with relief and touching her chest as she saw that I had Ralts safe and sound. "Gardevoir Voir." She said as she stepped gracefully forwards, reaching out and placing a hand on Ralts back before she hugged us both, being taller than I was as well.

Suddenly I saw a light through my closed eyes and I opened them to find Ralts was glowing, completely covered in a white sheen which made both Gardevoir and I gasp. "Ralts, you're evolving." I noted and before I knew it, I had a Kirlia in my arms instead of Ralts.

"Kirlia? Kirli!" Kirlia cheered then flung his arms around me, holding on tight as tears flowed down his face. "Kirlia, Kirlia, Kirlia."

"I know little buddy, that was a close one." I agreed, still dripping wet. "Well Gardevoir, how about you Teleport us back to the contest? We don't want to miss the last round, because I'm sure May will be battling in it."

"Gardevoir." She agreed with a nod of her head then in a blink, we were all back at the Pokémon Contest. "Gardevoir…"

"Thanks Gardevoir, good job. How about everyone take a long rest?" I suggested and returned both Gardevoir and my newly evolved Kirlia to their Pokéballs.

"You too guys, great work today!" Ash agreed, returning his three Pokémon but not before Torkoal turned to me with a hot Flamethrower, trying to dry out my clothes and I sizzled, the water from my clothes evaporating as I yelled.

"OWWWWWCH!"

"Argh! Torkoal stop! Ruby's mad enough at us already, let's not dig our own graves!" Ash quickly pulled Torkoal back as he stopped blasting me with Flamethrower.

"Thanks Torkoal…I needed that." I told him exasperatedly, hanging my head as my clothes started to smoke.

"Torkoal!" Torkoal burst into tears so Ash quickly returned him.

"Don't worry Torkoal, you were only trying to help." Ash said but then Vivien's voice came on from the big TV over the Pokémon Contest hall, showing May already battling in the final round with her Skitty against some girl with her Jynx. "Oh no! We're missing the battle!"

"Let's go genius!" I called and we both ran on inside. We got to the viewing stands and stood together, watching as May used Assist again and again. "What's she doing?" I questioned as Skitty's Assist turned into Razor Leaf, cutting through a previous String Shot that had wrapped up Jynx.

"Yeah, May can't know which attack will come out of Assist, she's putting herself in danger of losing the match." Ash said as the Jnyx fought back. We leaned closer over the side, intently watching the battle as May countered everything with Assist until finally, she got Fire Spin which blasted through Jynx's Hyper Beam and knocked it out clean.

"Wow! So _that's_ what May was aiming for, she wanted the fire type attack because she knew it would be super effective against Jynx, who's an ice type as well as psychic. Way to go May!" I cheered, both Ash and I laughing before we turned and high fived on another. "May and I are going to the Grand Festival! I can't wait, I bet it's going to be me and her in the final round!" I celebrated before we both ran down to congratulate May. "May! May you won!"

"I know! And it's all thanks to Skitty." She said, hugging her kitten Pokémon tightly. "But where were you guys? You missed the first two rounds." She questioned and I gave a guilty laugh.

"Sorry, Ralts disappeared whilst I was trying to train after getting blasted by an out of control Ice Beam attack and then Flamethrower from Torkoal to try and melt the ice. It got a little crazy after that. But hey, Ralts evolved into Kirlia!"

"No way! That's so cool!" Max said, clenching his fists with an exciting smile. "Does it still cry like a little baby?"

"Hey squirt, my Kirlia can cry all it wants." I said, giving him a mock glare before winking. "I'm just glad he's safe, and that your sister has won her fifth ribbon! Now it means we can both test ourselves in the Grand Festival final." I told May and instantly she gave a competitive smirk.

"You bet. But you'll be the one going home without the cup, because it's already got my name on it." May declared, reaching out and taking my hand in a fisted grip, both of us gripping on tightly as our competitive spirit burned brightly. Oh yeah, the fun is only just starting.


	48. Chapter 49

First was the Grand Festival, so we made our way to Slateport City where it was to be held and neither May nor I could contain our excitement. I was already planning new moves and routines for all of my Pokémon, seeing as I hadn't yet decided which ones I was going to use, or even how many I would need.

However, we found ourselves in a beautiful berry garden at a neat Pokémon Centre, where Pokéblock making was their side attraction. Nurse Joy introduced May, Max, Brock and I to the Pokéblock making machines whilst Ash went out to train with Snorunt, determined to get that Ice Beam up to speed.

There were a load of other kids working on their Pokéblock, and I held my little basket full of different assortments to try out my own recipes. No telling what will happen, so let's just get started! "Wow! Look at all the different berries people brought in." Max said as he and Brock stood around me as I cut up some of the berries, matching them by colour and by flavour first.

"Yeah, there's Pecha berries and Oran berries like the ones we saw before." Brock nodded before continuing to explain why people used certain berries in their Pokéblock. I was focusing on my own, concentrating as I tried to mix berries with flavours I believed would work. Pokéblock are like desserts, I figured, and just like cooking, you've got to make sure all the flavours will work well together.

"Let's make some Pokéblock!" May trilled as she walked in carrying a mountain of berries. I lifted my head and mirrored my smile at her before scraping my chosen berries into the blender before pressing a button to start the mix.

"Wow, that's a lot of berries." Max said as he stared at his sister.

"When you go out to pick berries, you don't mess around." Brock agreed with a smile as Nurse Joy chuckled softly.

"You really need all those?" Max questioned her and she nodded with a determined expression.

"Better safe than sorry. If I blend the best Pokéblock ever then I'll have unbeatable Pokémon! And then I'll be sure to win the Grand Festival!" But Max wasn't yet convinced by his sister's confidence.

"Do you even know _how_ to blend the best Pokéblock?"

"Too much or too little of a single berry can ruin it. Hey, hold on a sec!" Brock snapped his fingers then pulled a notebook out of his back pocket. "I still have the cookbook Natalie gave me. Great Pokéblock! Just follow these recipes." I'd almost forgotten about the recipes in the back. Oh well, I'd started mine already and it looked to be almost done. Better make some more.

"Thanks Brock, but I've got my own sure fire recipe right here. It's all top secret." She informed us so I giggled as she held up her recipe plan.

"Then maybe you'd want to hide your recipe plan, agent." I suggested and she quickly hid it behind her back with a little giggle, realising her mistake. Max balked back in shock.

"Own…recipe?"

"That's right! Just watch how it's done. It's May's Purple Surprise." Just then my mixer pinged and the last of my green coloured Pokéblock dropped out, letting me scoop it up and drop it on a plate. I scrutinised it carefully before taking a sniff. It didn't smell _too_ bad I guess. Let's try some.

"Hey Ruby, that looks good. Can I try some?" Max asked as I took a Pokéblock to test it. Instantly I was overcome by the sour taste, making my face scrunch up and I sucked in my lips.

"It's…a little…sour…squirt." I informed him before giving a shudder. "Ugh…maybe one of my Pokémon will like it." I said. "Okay, Jigglypuff, Gardevoir, Kirlia, Charizard, come on out!" I called, however I tossed Charizard's Pokéball out the window so that he had some more space. The moment he had formed, however, he stuck his head down to look in. "Hi there guys, fancy some of this?" I questioned and they all nodded their heads, calling out excitedly as I brought over some Pokéblock and handed a square to everyone.

They all chewed down on it, however Charizard instantly spat it out and blasted it with a bolt of fire, signalling his disgust. "Sorry buddy, I should have warned you guys that it's sour." I said guiltily as Jigglypuff shuddered and glared at me.

"Jigglypuff Puff!" She said, inflating her body as I gave a little nervous laugh.

"Calm down Jigglypuff, I'm still experimenting."

"Hey Ruby, why didn't you bring out your…" I quickly clapped my hand over Max's mouth.

"Ssh squirt, Latias has to keep a low profile around people. I don't want _too_ many people knowing about her, okay?" I said, inclining my head towards the other kids and Max glanced their way before nodding his head.

"Oh I get it." I gave him a smile before looking towards my last two Pokémon. Sadly, they weren't all impressed with it either. So instead I found a new tactic. I let them choose the berries to go in their Pokéblock. First I did Jigglypuff, as it would keep her satisfied and she chose mainly sweet berries which made a pink Pokéblock with hints of red in it, probably from the strange choice of the Tomato berry she had chosen, however the moment she bit into the Pokéblock, her eyes grew wider and they sparkled as if she were in heaven.

"You like it? Really? Great! Then that's Jigglypuff's Sweet and Spicy Pokéblock done." I thus named it just as May finished her Pokéblock.

"Alright, May's Purple Surprise is all done. Here, try it. Is it good?" She asked as the two boys tested it out for her. They chewed a couple of times, unlocking the flavours before pulling disgusted faces and groaned at the apparently horrible taste. "What? What's wrong guys?" May questioned as Brock tried to be nice.

"That's a…very strange flavour."

"I think calling it a flavour at all is going too far." Max gave his opinion but May wasn't ready to give up on her Pokéblock just yet.

"Give me a break, what do you guys know about a great tasting Pokéblock anyway huh?" She demanded before turning around to make some more. "At least the Pokémon will like it, I'm sure they will. They're not as dense as you two." She muttered under her breath as she made a whole plate full of her Pokéblock.

I myself had managed to almost find the perfect blend for Kirlia and Gardevoir, seeing as they liked the stuff I had made but weren't exactly as thrilled by it as Jigglypuff had been. So I decided to add a bit of a tangy taste to the chewy texture and then bingo. I had it. "You guys like that huh? That's great! Now it's your turn Charizard. I can bet what you want." I said then diced up the entire Tomato berry, making Nurse Joy gasp.

"You're going to use _all_ of that? Won't it be too much even for a fire type?" I gave a laugh.

"My Charizard can eat a whole bunch of these. He likes things super spicy, isn't that right buddy?" Charizard nodded his head with a gruff growling reply, watching as I poured in the spicy berries, added some Oran berry for strength, then a couple more to get a crunchy texture before it was done.

A home run on the first try, Charizard loved it and wanted more, so I made as much as I could of everything to take with me, however I made a fourth batch by listening to Latias's requests in my head, then tried it myself so that she could get an impression of the flavour, and it was also a success. Well, that's all of my Pokémon done.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Ash asked as he walked in.

"I see your lips aren't burnt anymore." Brock teased, noticing how Ash's lips weren't bright red after he'd dumbly bitten into a Tomato berry. I could have stopped him from doing it, but…I thought it best that he learn the hard way. Funnier too. I can't wait to print of the picture of his face.

"May's going to test her Pokéblock on all of the Pokémon." Max informed as May turned around with a large plate full.

"Okay then, everyone come on out!" Ash called as Brock called his Pokémon out too.

"Everybody, come and try this." So I turned to my Pokémon.

"You heard them, you come and try it too." I said and Charizard gave a sad growl so I walked over to the window and leaned out, giving him a hug which instantly cheered him up. "Don't worry buddy, you're just a little too big to fit inside here." I told him affectionately. "But that doesn't mean you have to miss out, I'll bring you some, okay?" Charizard smartly shook his head, sticking out his tongue and gave me an affectionate lick instead.

"Alright everybody, dig in!" May invited and all the Pokémon took a piece to bite in. The effect was instantaneous. Pikachu fell backwards and looked like he'd swallowed a sour lemon. Torkoal blew off a tonne of smoke whilst Swellow screeched, Combusken blasting out a Fire Spin in response to try and get the taste out of his mouth. May cried out.

"Oh no!"

"Hey, at least Corphish liked it!" Max said with a laugh before Corphish fell over sideways. "Or maybe not." I looked at my Pokémon and instantly yelped.

"Agh! Jigglypuff, Kirlia, Gardevoir!" I called out and ran to them as the groaned, slouching over with their eyes rolling in their heads. "Not good. Okay you guys, return! You too Charizard." I said and he nodded his head to me before I had them all safely back as Ash and Brock did the same for their Pokémon.

"Oh…May's Purple Surprise was a purple nightmare." May said, hanging her head in shame and disappointment.

"Don't worry May, the only way to get better is to keep on practicing and learn from your mistakes." Nurse Joy informed but just then, a Munchlax appeared, obviously drawn in by the smell of all the Pokéblock.

"Who's Munchlax is that?" Brock questioned.

"This is a wild one. It often comes in from the forest to eat Pokéblock." Nurse Joy explained as the Munchlax sniffed at May's Pokéblock with curiosity.

"That's pretty cool." Ash said but just then, Munchlax began to tuck in and help itself to May's Pokéblock, making her gasp happily and her eyes sparkled.

"Ah! You like it?" She questioned as the Munchlax put away impressive amounts of Pokéblock at a time.

"Well May, seems like you finally found yourself a customer." Ash told her with a smile as he held Pikachu in his arms, still recovering from his taste of the Purple Surprise. We all watched on as the Munchlax actually finished the entire plate, munching it down then gave a burp to show its appreciation. Wow. Goes to show that a Munchlax will eat just about anything.

"Wow, I can't believe you ate it all! Shall I make some more?" May offered, springing over to the Munchlax who nodded its head eagerly.

"Munch!"

"More of May's Purple Surprise, coming right up!" She trilled happily, overjoyed to have found a Pokémon who genuinely loved her Pokéblock. Just then, two strangers walked in, wearing rather formal looking clothes.

"Hi folks." The lady said as the guy who accompanied her spoke in a French accent.

"So much Pokéblock." We all turned around, surprised to see them.

"Hello there." Nurse Joy greeted however the two people yelped tightly then ducked down behind the desk that stood at the front of the room. Nurse Joy walked forwards and we all followed, looking at the two newcomers interestedly. "Who are you two and what are you doing here?" Nurse Joy asked politely and they sprang back up.

"We are professional Pokéblock tasters!" They both chorused together and we all blinked at them.

"Professional tasters?" Ash and I echoed together before giving one another a look.

"We travel far and wide, lending poor amateurs like yourselves the gift of our amazing tasting talents." The lady informed as the other guy spoke, though his words were heavily accented.

"With ze 'elp of our expertise, you too will learn to create ze perfect Pokéblock." Suddenly all the kids wanted these experts to try out their Pokéblock and they had to calm them all down, promising to try everyone's.

"How about having them taste your Purple Surprise May?" Ash suggested and she instantly lifted her head.

"I will. After Munchlax liked it so much, I bet the professionals are going to go nuts for it." She declared as I looked at my first batch of super sour Pokéblock. Well, can't let it go to waste.

"Hey Munchlax. Try some of this." I offered and tossed it a cube, making it jump up into the air and chewed it down before lifting its arms.

"Munchlax!"

"You like it huh? Well that's good. I was afraid I'd have to throw all this away. Here, have some more." I said, flicking cube at a time into Munchlax's mouth. Once I had finished giving out all my Pokéblock to Munchlax, May had just finished hearing how the weird lady actually liked her Pokéblock.

"Hey! Where'd my Pokéblock go?!" One of the kids cried out and everyone whirled around to find that all their Pokéblock had gone missing.

"Mine's gone too!"

"So is mine!"

"It's all gone! We've been robbed!" Huh? Their Pokéblock is gone? I stood up, looking out over the table to see that the Pokéblock was indeed completely disappeared. Strange, how'd that happen?

"Do you think Munchlax ate it?" Ash asked and I looked to the Munchlax who stood between me and May.

"Who else could have?" Max reasoned but May frowned.

"No way, it was right here the whole time." She said, looking down at Munchlax who beamed.

"Munch!"

"That _is_ what happened. Munchlax is known as the ravenous eater!" The tallest kid accused, glaring at Munchlax as all the children turned on the innocent Pokémon. Munchlax couldn't have eaten all the Pokéblock. That's just impossible, right?

"Munchlax, you're in big trouble! My Pokémon needed that!"

"Wait a minute…" May tried but the kids seemed a little too upset to listen to her so Nurse Joy ran forwards to block the way.

"Guys, take it easy now." She said in her soothing voice.

"You don't have any proof that Munchlax ate your stuff." May reasoned with them but they all continued to glare hatefully at Munchlax. Wow, these kids must really take their Pokéblock stuff seriously. That's a glare that makes _me_ scared.

"Munchlax is a thief."

"And why're you defending it?!" Another kid called as the two professionals walked out.

"They're right of course May, you should know better." The French guy said simply.

"You're taking the side of an obvious thief, how simply dreadful." The woman shook her head then tittered her tongue as she spoke in a reprimanding tone which instantly made Max glare.

"Don't scold my sister." He told them forcefully and I gave Max an encouraging smirk, assuring him I had the situation in hand and that May was fine with me close by.

"But your Munchlax was ze only one who liked your horrible Pokéblock, so you wanted to cover for it." The guy said so that was when I stepped forwards.

"Listen buster, May only defends that which she believes in, so if she believes the Munchlax is innocent, then I agree with her. Besides, whilst you were all getting your Pokéblock tested by you two, _I_ was feeding Munchlax my first batch of Pokéblock that was too sour for any other Pokémon, so it couldn't have gone around eating yours." I informed them all, stepping up to May's side. "That right Munchlax? Huh?" I looked down to find that Munchlax had disappeared and was heading out to the garden.

"It's escaping!"

"Let's get it!"

"Yeah!" The kids all cheered then raced out the door. Hold up. Get it? As in, get _Munchlax_? I don't THINK so! Not on my watch.

"You kids better not hurt Munchlax!" I yelled. "Or I'll be sticking YOU into the blenders!" The others all ran after me and May as we took the lead, running out into the garden where we saw Munchlax eating an Oran berry.

"There it is! Still hungry even after eating all our Pokéblock!"

"This is just more proof that Munchlax is the culprit!" But May and all the rest of us skidded to a halt in front of Munchlax, blocking the way as May called out.

"Hey! Did any of you actually _see_ Munchlax eat your Pokéblock?" May questioned and Nurse Joy lifted her head.

"That's right, it's a fair question and be honest now." She told the kids who all drew back slightly.

"I didn't actually see it…"

"Neither did I but come on!"

"And who besides Munchlax could have eaten that much Pokéblock so fast?" I laughed out loud and placed both hands on my hips.

"You guys obviously haven't seen Ash when it's burger night. I've seen him choke down ten hamburgers in under a minute." I told them and they made a face of disgust. It was kind of gross, but hey. It's Ash.

"But you're forgetting that Munchlax had just eaten a tonne of _my_ Pokéblock, and then Ruby's! So no way it was hungry anymore. Right Munchlax?" She asked whilst turning around only to find Munchlax eating his way through a bush of berries. "Oh…never mind."

"I think it's pretty obvious what happened here!" One of the kids said so I narrowed my eyes dangerously and stepped forwards.

"And I think you're all acting like idiots. You're blaming Munchlax when you haven't even thought about other explanations!" I exclaimed but they all continued to glare at Munchlax, stubborn and narrow minded.

"I think their minds are pretty made up." Brock said worriedly.

"But what other explanation is there? Maybe Munchlax is guilty?" Ash suggested but May shook her head determinedly.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! I'm going to go catch that Munchlax! And as Munchlax's trainer, I'll discipline in! That'll solve things." May decided and Nurse Joy nodded her head.

"At the very least it'll make sure we never have this problem again. What do you say, alright?" She asked the kids who pouted at us all.

"I don't see what good it does." The first one said but the second gave a shrug.

"Okay, I guess." Instantly May had her choice Pokéball to hand.

"Alright, Combusken, let's go!" She called and Combusken kicked up his leg in a karate kick for style. "Okay, let's do it! Huh? Where'd Munchlax go now?" May questioned and we all looked around. Boy, the little guy sure moves fast.

"Up there!" Ash spotted the hungry Pokémon. It had somehow managed to climb up a tree and was now eating at the riper berries that sat on a branch above its head.

"Hey Munchlax, look!" May called out then ran forwards, lifting up one of her Pokéblock. "See what I've got? Here's more of that purple Pokéblock you love!" She tempted, waving it around as Munchlax turned its head and sniffed the air.

"If this actually works, I'll eat my hat." Max announced as the Munchlax thought for a moment. Finally Munchlax jumped down from the tree and faced May with a hopeful smile, looking straight at the Pokéblock as Max blinked. "Glad I don't wear a hat." I chuckled and ruffled his hair before watching as May fed the Pokéblock to Munchlax.

"Here you go pal." She said with a little giggle before focusing once more. "Now, how about a battle? Combusken, Fire Spin!" She called then leaped out the way. Combusken launched his powerful attack but only hit the bark of the tree, scorching it badly but no Munchlax. "Huh? Where'd Munchlax go this time?!"

"Did it use Agility or something?" Ash questioned as we all looked around quickly.

"But that's impossible!" Brock informed us. I didn't realise Munchlax could be so fast. They're quite crafty little critters aren't they?

"Munch! Munchlax." Munchlax called then held out his hands, somehow managing to stand directly behind May as he asked for more.

"Huh? What's that? You want more of May's Purple Surprise?" She questioned before her eyes narrowed sharply. "Alright! Now I'm getting upset! You're not getting any more until you battle!" May said firmly, giving Munchlax one more piece until stepping out of range. "Now Combusken, Sky Uppercut!" May directed and Combusken moved forwards with impressive speed.

With a glowing claw Combusken took the swing however Munchlax leaned backwards, laying down on the ground so that Combusken's attack missed and he flew upwards, hitting the branch above with his head then fell back to the ground, making May yelp. "Combusken, are you hurt?!"

"How did it dodge that Sky Uppercut so easily?" Ash asked in astonishment but Max only fiddled with his glasses, looking down with a sigh.

"It didn't really dodge. It's defence was…it took a nap." He noted as Munchlax snored on the ground.

"You'd need a nap too if you ate that much." Brock said with an arched eyebrow as I just stared at Munchlax. Well, you can definitely tell that Munchlax is the pre-evolved form of Snorlax. I can see the family resemblance.

"That's just great." May said as she and her Combusken hung their heads. "Hey Munchlax! Hey, come on, up!" She ordered, shaking Munchlax awake. It blinked its eyes and I gave a little giggle. At least Munchlax are easier to wake up than a Snorlax. "Look, more of your favourite Pokéblock." May tempted and Munchlax was instantly back on its feet and took the Pokéblock happily.

"One minute nap…and ready to eat again." Ash said, shaking his head despairingly. Munchlax finished chewing then swung its arms, focusing its eyes now.

"Munch! Lax!"

"Okay! Ready to battle now?" May questioned and Munchlax turned around to face Combusken.

"Munchlax!"

"Go! Sky Uppercut Combusken!" May ordered and Combusken swept forwards, claw glowing and Munchlax glared ahead at Combusken before ducking down.

"Dodged it again!" Ash said appreciatively but then we saw Munchlax chewing into a fallen berry from where Combusken had knocked his head on the branch above and made some berries fall out of the tree.

"Actually I think it just bent down to eat that fruit." Max told us pointedly as we all stared. What a…interesting Pokémon. Suddenly the French taster guy came running by, carrying a sack on his back with bright red lips, as if he'd had a terrible plastic job and wore too much lipstick. That meant only one thing. He'd eaten a tomato berry. "Wow! His lips are all swollen!" Max blinked.

"From a tomato berry." Brock realised as Nurse Joy narrowed her eyes.

"Seems to me a real Pokéblock taster would know better than to bite into a tomato berry." The guy stopped then faced us, looking quite insulted as he now spoke with a heavy lisp.

"What? I'm not a phony!" Or at least, that's what I think he said. "Whoops." Just then we noticed two kinds of Pokéblock dropping out of his sack. One pink, the other yellow.

"Hey, that's my Pokéblock!"

"And mine too!" Ash narrowed his eyes darkly.

"So y _ou_ were the Pokéblock thieves all along!" Suddenly I felt someone rush past me and the woman swept up Pikachu in a net, joining her companion as Ash cried out. "No! Pikachu!"

"Who are you guys?" Nurse Joy demanded to know.

"Prepare for trouble you block making squirts."

"Make it double dough my mouth really hurts!" James's lisp made his words sound rather confusing and a little incomprehensible.

"To protect the world from devastation!" I'm not even going to try attempting to explain exactly how James said his next line, so I'll say it how it should have been. Those swollen lips must be really hurting.

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie…"

"And James." With that they whipped off their disguises, keeping a hold of Pikachu and their twin sacks of Pokéblock.

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare for a flaming fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!" Their little furball buddy responded as he lowered down the balloon, letting bother Jessie and James jump in to escape with their hoard.

"Stealing other people's Pokéblock is dishonest and mean!" May yelled at them though Jessie only turned around with a smirk.

"You forgot to mention fun." She informed May who growled.

"Give back Pikachu and the Pokéblock." Ash ordered but the balloon began to rise up.

"Sorry, we can't hear you!" Meowth gloated as they lifted off.

"Combusken, Fire Spin!" May called and Combusken instantly packed a heated wallop, burning through the net that held Pikachu and he instantly jumped free, falling into Ash's arms as he ran forwards to catch his favourite yellow friend.

"Pika Pi!"

"Pikachu!" He laughed then hugged his pal tightly. Just then I noticed that there was Pokéblock falling from Jessie's sack, where a hole had ripped through and Munchlax instantly ran forwards excitedly, jumping up into the air and chomped it all down whilst flying up to the basket.

"Munchlax! Munch, Munch, Munch." Team Rocket all yelled as Munchlax joined them, diving into the bag and May instantly gasped with worry.

"Munchlax?" You could hear Team Rocket shouting and the basket wriggled about as they tried to get rid of Munchlax until one of the bags accidentally got tossed over the side, sending Munchlax straight after it. "Agh! Here!" May ran forwards to catch Munchlax and I leaped forwards to help her, only as Munchlax slammed into her, it planted us both into the ground with me almost six feet under at the bottom. "Nice…catch…but maybe you should lay off the Pokéblock a little bit?"

"I'll say." I groaned as May managed to pick herself up.

"Snorunt, Ice Beam let's go!" Ash called and Snorunt appeared, giving a twirl and I noted how great he'd be for contest. He seemed to naturally enjoy showing off how great he was. Awesome little guy. Snorunt spun around again and this time, fired an Ice Beam, only as it flew towards Team Rocket who cowered away, it lost control and struck a tree instead, making it into a huge icicle with loads of shards sticking out from its sides. "Oh no, missed again!" Team Rocket all laughed down at us.

"We still have one bag of your Pokéblock!" Jessie crowed at us as I arched an eyebrow.

"Nice doing business with you!" The all chorused as I smirked then pointed upwards, jabbing my finger pointedly.

"I hate to burst your bubble but…" I trailed off and they blinked before turning look up. Instantly they yelled, seeing the sharp poke through their balloon and pop it, landing them on the ice tree however another ice spike stabbed through their furnace, blasting it to pieces and they were tossed into the air whilst Jessie lost grip of the Pokéblock bag.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" They all chimed together and I chuckled, dusting off my hands with satisfaction. Suddenly streams of Pokéblock began to fall from the sky and Munchlax was busy eating it all up, going at top speed as it didn't let a single cube fall to the ground.

"Whoa, just look at it go!" The kids all chorused in amazement as May chased after Munchlax.

"Stop! Munchlax stop eating!" She pleaded but Munchlax didn't listen to her, continuing to chomp down on all it could.

"Pretty soon there's not going to be any of it left." Max warned.

"Now would be a good time to catch it." Brock informed May who lifted her head as both Ash and I both turned to her and spoke at the same time.

"Yeah, go for it May!"

"Okay, go Pokéball!" She called and tossed it forwards, however as Munchlax saw the Pokéball come flying towards it, it opened its mouth and actually…ate…the Pokéball. "You ate the Pokéball. Now what do I do?" May wondered, going slack hopelessly but then Munchlax disappeared, going red before being sucked into the Pokéball which snapped shut, wriggled around a few times before pinging, signalling that Munchlax had been caught. "I…think it's caught?"

"That was a weird catch." Ash determined in disbelief.

"I'll say." Brock agreed but Nurse Joy merely smiled.

"Yes, but a catch is a catch." She announced and May picked up the Pokéball with a smile, rubbing it against her cheek.

"Awesome. I caught…a Munchlax!" She said disbelievingly. However her moment of joy was quickly cut short as the kids all teamed up against her.

"Caught or not, your Munchlax still ate all our Pokéblock for _real_ this time. What you gonna do about it?" One of them demanded and May blinked at them.

"But…it wasn't Munchlax's fault. It was just hungry. It'll eat whatever's available to it." May said but the kids all yelled angrily.

"First our Pokéblock gets stolen, then your Munchlax eats it. What are we supposed to give our Pokémon huh? We made that Pokéblock especially for them!" They all agreed then began to shout angrily at May who backed up, staring in fear but then Combusken and I cut in front of them, shielding her from their anger.

"Enough!" I yelled then towered over them, a fire raging in my eyes as I placed my hands on my hips. "You kids ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You're worrying over something as stupid as Pokéblock, which you can easily make again, and you were even willing to go and hurt a Pokémon that was initially innocent because of it. Don't you kids have any shame?" I demanded and they all blinked before hanging their heads. "There are plenty more berries in the garden for you to make more Pokéblock, so don't waste your time worrying about something that can be easily replaced. You should be glad that Munchlax thought all your Pokéblock was so great that it ate every last bit of it." They all looked at one another before looking down at their feet.

"You're right. We're sorry." They all chorused and I nodded my head.

"Good. Now I'd move along if I were you. If I really lose my cool, then you'll all wish you were a hundred miles away out of reach. So scoot!" They all ran for it, diving back into the Pokémon centre where they instantly set to work on making more Pokéblock with their own recipes.

"Phew. That was a close one. Thanks Ruby." May said to me so I winked at her.

"Don't mention it. I just want my greatest rival for the Grand Festival to get there all in one piece." I informed her and we all giggled. Just then, several stomachs rumbled, making Nurse Joy giggle.

"I guess Munchlax isn't the only one who's hungry. How about you all come inside for some dinner, and then you can rest here for the night." Nurse Joy invited and we all smiled.

"That'll be great Nurse Joy, thanks!" Max said and we all agreed.

"Yeah. Today's been quite exciting." Brock said as we all walked inside towards the cafeteria.

"I'm so hungry, I could eat an entire Wailord." I exclaimed, rubbing my stomach. "So hamburgers, here I come!"

"Right behind you Ruby!" Ash called with a laugh before chasing after me, the two of us racing all the way to the cafeteria to put in our orders.


	49. Chapter 50

Whilst waiting for our boat to Slateport City, we all rested at the beach, playing around in the sand, surf and sun to pass the time. I played catch with some of the Pokémon and Max, who laughed as I tossed him the ball then I wrestled with Ash playfully in the water, splashing around as May just lounged about happily, bathing in the sun as Brock rushed around to every nearby girl, practicing his pickup lines before moving on to the next beautiful girl he saw. That's typical Brock.

"Take that genius!" I laughed, praying Ash and Pikachu with water then dove out the way as he tried to get me back.

"You won't get away! Let's go Pikachu, Iron Tail on the water!" Ash called and Pikachu leaped up as I cried out, Pikachu's powerful attack slapping the water and instantly showered me in a large canopy of water, soaking me through.

"That's it! Ketchum, you're TOAST!" I shrieked with laughter then dived at him, an all-out war taking place as we both fought for victory, not taking any notice of anything else until Max called out.

"Uh…Ruby? What are those stones the Pokémon are holding?" He asked and I turned around. Corphish, Lombre, Skitty and some of the other Pokémon were looking through my bag and were inspecting all my stones that the professor had let me keep.

"AGH! NO! DON'T TOUCH THE STONES!" I suddenly yelled and came rushing out of the water at top speed. Corphish tossed away the Water Stone he'd been holding only for it to land on Lombre's head, making him look up without blinking.

"Lombre?" Suddenly Lombre flashed white, the stone disappearing as he began to change shape, growing bigger and bigger as Brock gripped his head.

"Agh! My Lombre!"

"Skitty no! That's a Moon Stone!" May called desperately, leaping out of her deck chair and we all ran forwards. Suddenly the stones went flying everywhere up into the sky as Gardevoir, Kirlia and Latias smartly lifted them up out of everyone's reach, making us sigh with relief, however it was too late for Lombre.

Once the light had disappeared, we were staring at a rather interesting Pokémon. It had an orange beak with a large green lily pad on its head almost like a sombrero with a stumpy growth like the beginnings of a palm tree, yellow tuft swinging from side to side as it danced, chanting rhythmically.

"Ludicolo! Ludicolo! Ludicolo!"

"Agh! My Lombre evolved!" Brock gripped his face, staring at Ludicolo as I hid my face shamefully.

"Brock I'm so sorry! I didn't think the Pokémon would go snooping in my bag."

"What is it?" Ash asked then pulled out his Pokédex.

"Ludicolo, the carefree Pokémon. Ludicolo becomes extremely active whenever it hears a cheery rhythm. This can also lead it to exert extreme power in battle." Neat. Ludicolo is actually pretty great, it's already dancing around and all the other Pokémon are joining in.

"Well, guess I've got a Ludicolo." Brock said, finally smiling.

"You're not mad?" I questioned and he shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sorry you lost a Water Stone." He said but I shrugged.

"It doesn't matter, at least none of the other Pokémon evolved." I said as my psychic Pokémon put all the stones back in my bag. Or at least, most of them. A flash of light made everyone whirl around with a gasp in time to see Kirlia disappear from the brightness, holding a pale blue stone that Professor Oak had previously identified as a Dawn Stone. "Wha…what's happening? I thought Kirlia could only evolve into Gardevoir!"

"Looks like we were wrong." Ash said as he walked over, all of us watching as Kirlia began to change shape. He grew taller and taller as Gardevoir stared, mouth wide open as her eyes, mirroring my own expression until finally, my newly evolved Pokémon stood before me.

He was like a knight in shining armour, with strong legs and sharp horns sticking out of his chest and back, deep red which contrasted to the darker green. His green arms were now kind of like tonfas now, however when the Pokémon stuck a pose, sharper blades at the elbows slid out, his deep maroon eyes focused.

Wow…maybe I should check this out.

"Gallade, the blade Pokémon, and the evolved form of Kirlia. Gallade extends its elbows as if they were swords, and when protecting someone, it fights fiercely." Now that is…awesome!

"I got a new Pokémon!" I cheered, running forwards and hugged Gallade who closed his eyes and smiled softly at me, carefully placing his arms around me. "You're totally awesome Gallade, you have to be a fighting type as well as psychic, I bet my life on it. How about we check out your move pool?" I suggested and I stepped back as all the other Pokémon suddenly leaped forwards to greet Gallade. He bowed graciously, turning to each Pokémon until finally, he faced Gardevoir.

She just stared and I lifted my eyes, smirking slightly. Slowly Gardevoir lifted a hand, reaching out to Gallade who bowed his head like a gentleman, letting her reach out for him and she eventually placed her hand on his shoulder, looking up at her now taller companion before blushing slightly and pulling away. Hmm…interesting…

"So what's it say?" Ash demanded to know, leaning over my shoulder to see as I looked through my Pokédex.

"Well, with the blades Gallade can extend, I bet he can learn Leaf Blade. Shall we try it out Gallade?" I asked and he nodded his head.

"Awesome, how about you battle against Sceptile and I?" Ash offered. "That way we can see what Gallade's got." I turned an arched eyebrow on Gallade.

"How about it? What do you say?" Gallade nodded his head, silent yet seemingly strong, flinging out his arms and his blades extended once more as he sprung forwards into the battle, Sceptile jumping over to stand before Ash as all our Pokémon stepped back. Charizard roared, cheering for Gallade as the Pokémon all took sides. Gardevoir held her hands to her mouth, watching with concern. "Brock, would you referee for us?"

"I'd be glad to. Okay, this battle is a one on one elimination. The battle will end when either trainer's Pokémon is unable to continue. Are you ready? Then begin!" Instantly I was focused on the battle, looking straight ahead.

"Show me what you've got Gallade!"

"Alright Sceptile, start off with Leaf Blade!" Ash called and pointed forwards. Instantly Sceptile leaped forwards, arms forming a long green scythe like blade before he aimed them at Gallade.

"Dodge it Gallade, and use Psychic!" I ordered and Gallade moved with speed that matched Sceptile's, making me beam proudly. Looked like all that training when he was a Ralts and Kirlia sure paid off. Gallade turned around and blasted his attack down at Sceptile who had to quickly move out the way to avoid most of the attack, however some sand blasted his way and caught him slightly, making him growl and clench the twig he always gripped in his mouth.

"Sceptile, use Bullet Seed, let's go!" Sceptile instantly turned his head, focusing on Gallade then began pelting bright gold seeds at him.

"Dodge again!" I ordered, smiling brightly.

"After him Sceptile, don't let him get away!" Ash answered, laughing excitedly as Sceptile sprang after Gallade, giving chase as the two tried to outmatch the other. Knowing that Sceptile's exceptional speed would eventually catch Gallade off guard, I had to think fast.

"Okay Gallade, Psychic on the sand, lift it up into a cloak!" I directed and Gallade instantly focused on the ground as he descended from a jump he had just made. Gallade's eyes glowed and instantly the sand rose up around him, twisting around as each particle glowed, swirling around quickly with power. "Okay, now use use…" But then Gallade charged out at Sceptile, dropping his Psychic attack to battle close up, hitting Sceptile several times before springing away.

"Hey, that was Close Combat!" Max called out to me. "Gallade's figured out a new move, and it looks like it's done some damage!" Turning a slightly stunned look back at Sceptile, seeing that he looked a little worse for wear.

"Hey Sceptile, you okay buddy?" Ash asked and Sceptile lifted his head, stepping forwards again and Gallade dipped his head respectfully to his opponent. "That's great, let's even out the playing ground, use Leaf Blade!" Sceptile instantly sped forwards, cutting across the sand and Gallade tried to dodge but Sceptile was too fast this time and Gallade took a direct hit, knocking him back into the sand but he jumped straight back up. "Keep on using Leaf Blade!"

"Block it Gallade! Use your own blades!" I called out and Gallade instantly began to fight back, moving step by step and used his blades to block Sceptile's, eyes narrowing in concentration until slowly, his blades began to glow bright green as well, flickering as they began to strengthen. "Alright! Keep it up Gallade, you've almost learned Leaf Blade!"

Gallade nodded his head then began to fight back harder, pushing Sceptile back this time as they began to battle it out. "This is so awesome, I can hardly watch!" Max said excitedly as our two Pokémon continued to battle. Finally Gallade's Leaf Blade fully formed and he swung his blades, clashing against Sceptile's and the two of them faced one another off, facing each other as they struggled for the greater strength, until finally they pushed with the last of their strength and they both slid back in the sand, kicking up a slight dust but continued to stand strong.

"I think that's enough battling for now. We'll call it a draw." Brock ruled, lifting his hand. "Great battle guys, it seems Gallade has really transformed himself."

"Yeah, he's no longer a cry baby." Ash laughed as he walked over and in reply, I whacked the back of his head, forcing him to face plant the ground.

"What was that, genius?" I questioned hotly and I heard his muffled reply come from the sand.

"Nothing!"

"Thought so." I said before proudly looking up at my Gallade. However just behind him, I could see Gardevoir, watching Gallade carefully, now a little unsure of herself. I guess now that Gallade was fully evolved, she didn't see him as the little Ralts she had come to know, and that frightened her a little bit, so I reached out with a comforting presence, giving her a wink to reassure her that I was still here, and that everything was going to be okay.


	50. Chapter 51

Now that we were finally on board the luxury liner S.S St Flower on our way to Slateport City for the Grand Festival, I could hardly believe it. The boat was huge! Not to mention it had everything anyone could possibly want to live happily ever after. It even had a _playground_. Now this is definitively luxury. I could get used to this.

"This is so cool!" Max exhaled, scarcely believing his eyes.

"You bet it is squirt." I gave a laugh as May turned around with a smile.

"Uh huh, and it's thanks to Ruby and I that we're here." She informed everyone proudly though Ash merely sighed.

"We heard you the first time."

"It's true though. If the girls hadn't made it to the Grand Festival, then we wouldn't be here." Brock reminded Ash. I bet all he wants to do is get there so he could watch some great battling and get some more training done with his Pokémon.

"Bingo Brock. Though it is pretty cool that they let you bring all your friends along too, right?" May said to me and I nodded my head.

"Totally. Now come on, let's see what else there is." I said and began to walk through the liner, admiring every nook and cranny. This was just so great! We decided that the best thing to do would be to leave our Pokémon with Nurse Joy for safekeeping.

Once we'd located her, May and I were about to ask if she'd take care of our Pokémon when Brock went all goofy. "Incredible! Leave to a gorgeous ship to have the most gorgeous Nurse Joy." I slapped a hand to my head. He really needs to be a little more consistent with his affections. "Hi, the name is Brock. I was wondering if a romantic luxury dinner for two might be of interest at all?" He questioned but Max quickly grabbed a hold of him.

"Cool it sailor. How does a lonely dinner for one sound?" He offered instead and I giggled gently at Brock's expense before turning back to Nurse Joy.

"Nurse Joy, we were wondering if you would mind taking care of our Pokémon?" I asked her and she instantly relaxed and smiled down at us.

"Absolutely. Do they need rest or exercise?" She wanted to know but when reading our puzzled expressions, she looked to the right to show us an amazing play park for all kinds of Pokémon. "As you can see, we have quite a playroom specially made for Pokémon." Nurse Joy told us and instantly we both smiled.

"That's so cool!" We chorused before bringing out our Pokéballs, however I hung onto Charizard and Latias, seeing as I didn't want Charizard to frighten any of the smaller Pokémon or accidentally set fire to something. His short temper doesn't help and Latias…well I like to keep her close. "Okay, come out everybody!" May and I both called together before all our Pokémon stood before us.

Jigglypuff gave a twirl then bounced over to me, chanting happily as she leaped up into my arms, making me giggle. "Jiggly! Jigglypuff Puff!"

"That's right Jigglypuff, we're almost there." I assured her. "But for now, it's time for you to kick back and have some fun, okay? Make sure you play nice with everyone, got it?" I gave her a stern look and she nodded her head, blinking those innocent orbs but I wasn't fooled. "And make sure you're polite to Nurse Joy and does everything she asks you to, and the same goes to all of you, okay?" My Pokémon all nodded their heads at me so I left them in the capable care of Nurse Joy before we all headed off.

"It's not every day you get to travel on a luxury liner, so I want to check out _everything_." May announced as we walked and I beamed.

"Sounds good to me! Let's go find souvenirs!"

"Wait! It's Officer Jenny!" Brock suddenly yelled, going all goofy again before racing to kneel in front of her, startling both Officer Jenny and her Growlithe, holding a bunch of flowers in his hands with he had swiped from a vase on his way over there. "Dear Officer Jenny! This bouquet only hints at your beauty! Deputise me, please! That way we can work side by side." He said to her suggestively but then Max grabbed his ear and dragged Brock away.

"No thank you. The world will be much safer without _you_ involved in law enforcement." He informed as the rest of us chuckled.

"Officer Jenny, what are you doing on board?" Ash asked her in slight surprise.

"Has there been any crime committed?"

"No, no one's broken the law." She said but then turned her head away slightly. "Not yet. I mean, nobody's done anything wrong so far. Right now I'm hot on the trail of a crook called Brody the Phantom Thief." She informed and May squeaked before shrinking back behind me, gripping onto my shoulder tightly.

"He sounds scary…"

"Brody…" Max said thoughtfully, thinking carefully. "You know, I think I've heard that name before."

"Well, there's a Brody from Team Magma whose talent for having a thousand faces is well known." Officer Jenny and everyone else instantly remembered where they'd heard the name before.

"That's the person we saw back at the weather institute, he disguised himself as a woman named Millie. He ended up stealing tonnes of data on ancient Pokémon for Team Magma." Brock reminded everyone but then turned to me. "You weren't there, so you won't know. Brody can change his appearance to look like absolutely anyone, even a girl."

"Wow, now that's impressive." I said, turning back to Officer Jenny. "But if he was from Team Magma, then why would he change his name?"

"Maybe he decided to quit Team Magma after we helped take them down." Max suggested and I gave a guiltily little laugh, rubbing the back of my head as I remembered the unfortunate…accidents that happened to place us at the wrong place and time when both teams were trying to end the world as we knew it. Good times.

"Team Aqua and Team Magma have now broken up." Officer Jenny revealed and all our eyes widened.

"What?!"

"They finally realised that being able to control Groudon and Kyogre was impossible. But our friend Brody has set his sights on becoming a thief who thrives on stealing valuable jewels and artworks so as chief officer, I've been attempting to capture this Brody since day one. And I'm closing in. You see even as we speak, he's somewhere on board this very ship."

"That phantom thief is on the ship?!" Both Ash and I chorused together in disbelief.

"I wonder what he's after." May said almost to herself.

"If you see anything suspicious then please, let me know." We all assured her that we'd report to her immediately if we saw any such thing as a suspicious sneeze, however Brock seemingly wasn't done confessing his undying love for the pretty lady in uniform.

"Wait! Let's stroll the decks hand in hand, we'll look together for…"

"I'm strolling you out of here arm in arm." However this time Max struggled with Brock as he tried to fight back, desperate to reach Jenny again so I walked forwards, grabbed Brock by the back of his collar then began to walk away, making him cry out as I dragged him over the polished floor.

"What you need is a strait jacket to keep your hands to yourself." I informed him firmly and I didn't let go of him until we were safely out of sight of Jenny so that she wouldn't have the effect on Brock. Since May was in charge of the map, we had to follow where she was going, though she wouldn't tell us exactly _where_.

"Hey May, where're we going?"

"You'll see. Just follow my lead. There's something I want to get a good look at." May explained to us as we continued to walk.

"Something like what?" Max asked his sister with a slightly worried look on her face, wondering why she'd taken us out of the place where all the shops and restaurants where. Very unlike May.

"Something I know Ruby and I have been dying to see. And look! There it is! The Ribbon Cup!" She called then darted forwards, running straight for the case which held the golden cup within and I instantly stood close, gazing inside at it with wide eyes.

"Nice…I think _that_ will look great on my mantelpiece." I announced, making everyone laugh. However our laughter was cut short when we heard one of the guards calling out desperately.

"Wait! You can't go in there, stop!" We turned to see May's Munchlax running with his arms up in the air, weaving from side to side to evade capture then went straight for the table where a pile of cookies sat on a plate.

"Uh oh, it must be looking for food." Brock said as May gasped and hurried over.

"Munchlax, that's not yours, wait!" She tried to lunge for him but her arms swept at thin air as Munchlax avoided her grasp, however in his haste knocked into the trophy case and with a sharp intake of breath, I watched as one of the arms fell off. Oh…no…

Once Munchlax had been satisfied with one of May's Pink Surprises, everyone exhaled with relief but then Ash noticed my horrified expression. "Hey Ruby, what's up?" He questioned so I pointed a shaking finger at the Ribbon Cup. The _broken_ Ribbon Cup. "Oh no!"

"AGH! THE RIBBON CUP!" May wailed loudly as the guards rushed over.

"Oh no, the Ribbon Cup!"

"We'd better call the director, something isn't right here." The second guard said and they both nodded to one another before calling for the director to come down to the trophy room immediately. He came as quickly as he could and the alarm system was turned off before the cup was brought out the director inspected it closely, wearing a deep frown.

"What happened exactly?" He asked so Max spoke first.

"You see, my sister's Munchlax bumped into the case and I…"

"And I'm so sorry." May said, hanging her head in shame so I put my hand on her shoulder for comfort. "It was just an accident." She tried to explain but I gave her an encouraging smile.

"Don't worry May, I don't even think that's the real Ribbon Cup." I announced and everyone turned panicked and startled expressions around to me. "The real cup would have been made from a metal of some kind, I'm not sure about pure gold, but either way, it wouldn't have broken so easily. Right director?" He chuckled in reply.

"Exactly right young lady. You see, the _real_ Ribbon Cup would have the official seal from the contest committee." He said, smiling brightly. His expression held for a moment before it suddenly clicked. "Agh! The Ribbon Cup is fake!" He yelled just as something fell from under the cup, a dark purple card with an orange symbol on it.

Officer Jenny chose the right time to show up, as she walked straight on over. "Don't anybody move." She ordered, stopping down to pick up the card, inspecting it closely with a hum. "Of course, it's very clear. I know exactly who committed this crime. It was Brody the Phantom Thief." She announced and instantly I glared.

"Well then, let's find him! I'm not about to let some punk get away with ruining the contest by taking away first prize!"

"That's right! Coordinators have worked hard for a chance to earn that cup and we're two of them!" May declared, clenching her fists as we both growled under our breaths.

"When I get a hold of Body, he'd better hope he can disguise himself as a prisoner, because _that's_ how he's going to look for a very long time after I catch up to him."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, springing onto my shoulder and nodded his head determinedly, signalling he'd help us. "Pi." So with our solemn promise to return the Ribbon Cup, we set out with Officer Jenny to find out exactly how the cup had been stolen with so many security guards around. We visited the guards on duty first and Officer Jenny questioned them about if many kinds of people had come in to see the cup.

Sure, many people have come in and out of this room." The first guard informed us.

"But if anything suspicious were going on then we would have it."

"So tell me how you handle your lunch breaks?" Jenny questioned smartly, obviously very expert at lining up her questions.

"We always take it in two shifts ma'am."

"This week we decided that I go on break first." The second guard told us all.

"Tell me, anything seem unusual?" Jenny continued her investigation and the guards thought to themselves for a moment, recollecting the last couple of days on the liner.

"Uh…I guess the only thing was when you came back early." The first guard turned to the second, however the guard himself was surprised by this seemingly new information.

"Wait, I didn't come back early!"

"What?! Of course you did, remember? You'd forgotten something and had to come all the way back here to get it." He explained but the guard turned to face him.

"That wasn't me! I was in the cafeteria!"

"Then it was Brody the Phantom Thief!" Officer Jenny declared, linking two and two together. We all looked to one another, expressions a little unsure.

"But how are we to recognise him? He's a master of disguise." May asked but then I took a deep breath to keep myself calm.

"People can change their faces all they want, but aura still stays the same. If I can get a look at the _real_ Brody, then I'll be able to tell him apart no matter what disguise he wears." I said then looked up at Nurse Joy. "We'll have to lure him out with something, get him to give himself away somehow." But Jenny was frowning at me.

"Hold on a moment, aura? What's that?" I blushed a little.

"I can read people's aura, if I concentrate on them. If I have enough focus, then I'll be able to tell Brody apart because his aura will be different, just like everyone's aura is." I explained to her and she instantly beamed.

"That's great! In that case, follow me." She walked on inside then lay an empty Pokéball on the table on top of a napkin then began to spray it with gold paint.

"Why're you painting a Pokéball gold?" Max questioned as Officer Jenny finished up. Once it had dried its coat in only a couple of seconds, Officer Jenny lifted it up with a wink to us all.

"It's perfect bait. I present the world's first golden Pokéball. We'll put it on display and tell everybody it's second prize in the grand festival." She explained and we all instantly smiled. "And very valuable too."

"Great idea!"

"Sure is, we'll find Brody in no time!" We all agreed before setting out with Officer Jenny's instruction to talk about the golden Pokéball as much as we could around the ship. I head off with Ash and Brock whilst May went with Max the other way. We started to talk about "the golden Pokéball" before splitting off, Ash and I sticking together before he head to food court and I went to the shopping mall to begin noting to myself rather loudly about this amazing and very valuable new display they've put up of the second prize golden Pokéball.

I walked through a souvenir shop and even purchased five ice creams, whereby I leaned on the counter slightly to "accidentally" push the button that put my voice on loudspeaker. "Did you hear about the new golden Pokéball?" I asked the nice till lady who blinked. "It's being put on display in the trophy room, it's made out of solid gold!"

"Really? I didn't know about it." The girl said to me as I smiled and walked away with my ice creams which I handed out to everyone once we'd got back.

"Brody must have heard one of us." Ash reasoned so May folded her arms happily, already having finished her ice cream.

"Now all we have to do is wait." Just then running footsteps could be heard but before we could run to hide, the Captain appeared, looking hot and flustered with a wild panic in his eye.

"Officer Jenny, please help us!" He called and instantly he had Jenny's full attention.

"Captain, what's wrong now?"

"At this moment Brody the thief is stealing all the Pokémon from the Pokémon Centre!" Instantly we all gasped, grouping together with worry for our own Pokémon that we dropped off there.

"Ruby, May, your Pokémon are all there too!"

"Okay, tell them I'm on my way." Jenny told the captain before rushing off, all of us in hot pursuit.

"We're coming too! No one's stealing _my_ Pokémon without having to fight me for them first." I said darkly narrowing as focused on reaching my Pokémon. We made our way down a flight of stairs however as we did so, the captain walked towards us. Huh?

"The captain? But we just saw you!" Max said as he stopped and blinked.

"How could that be young man? I am very certain I haven't seen you before." He told us and Officer Jenny frowned.

"You just told us that the Pokémon at the Pokémon Centre were being kidnapped by the phantom." Instantly the captain's eyes widened in horror.

"No! I've just come from the Pokémon Centre, and everything there is fine." He told us all and our mouths all dropped. So that means we'd been tricked. The real captain was right here and _Brody_ is the fake one, right about now stealing that Pokéball. Good thing it's worthless. We all turned tail and flocked back the way we came, skidding to a halt to find Brody just reaching for the Pokéball.

"Not so fast! You're not really the captain, thief!" Officer Jenny pointed as Brody gave a haunting chuckle then turned around.

"Well I'll give you this much, you're quicker than I thought!" He declared and as he extravagantly pulled off his disguise with a flourish of fabric, I sprang forwards with a graceful leap and as he pulled aside the clothes, he didn't have time to move out the way of my fist until he saw it coming about an inch from his face.

With a powerful jab I decked him heavily on the nose, flinging him backwards as I pulled back and glared down at him. "It's a one hit K-O, too bad. I was hoping you would put up more of a fight Brody." I said as he groaned, blinking in a daze from my strike so I placed a foot on his back as everyone just stared at me. "Now normally I wouldn't condone violence at this level, but seeing as you've rather ticked me off by stealing the Ribbon Cup, I'm making an exception."

Under his cloak I saw a flash of gold so when I flicked his cloak aside and pulled the Ribbon Cup free, I instantly authenticated it with the seal on the inside of the contest committee. "Well, looks like I've found myself a treasure, sadly I think you're going to find yourself shut away for a _very_ long time."

"Wow Ruby, that was impressive." Max said before grinning. "Can you teach _me_ to hit like that?"

"Absolutely not." May said sternly as Officer Jenny and a couple of guards clapped on some cuffs and dragged Brody away. He tugged on his restraints, wheeling around to face us but I stepped in front of Max and May protectively, lowering my head to give a cold glare. He snorted with laughter.

"You're pretty tough, little girl. I'll be sure to remember your face."

"And I'll be remembering you, Brody." I said as I felt his sickening aura. "Don't you worry about that." Smirking slightly as he left we received Officer Jenny's thanks before Brody was taken to be locked up under strict guard until we landed in port. "So, we've still got ages until nightfall, what shall we do?" I questioned as the Ribbon Cup was put back in its proper place.

"Shopping!" May squealed, grabbing my hand then dragged me back to the mall.


	51. Chapter 52

In some ways, I was glad to get off that boat. May knows the term "shop till you drop" and seriously takes it to heart. She did most of the spending, however with her help, I do now have an assortment of clothes for all occasions, though I've packed them all up and have put them in the postage bay to be sent back to Pallet Town to wait for me there, along with all the other souvenirs and presents I bought for everyone.

However when we got to the main stadium, I could feel May trembling beside me so I entwined my fingers with hers and gripped onto her hand tightly for comfort before we walked inside with everyone and registered. "Hello there, if you're registering for the Grand Festival, I'll need to see your contest passes please." The nice lady at the desk said so I went first.

"Here you are, Ruby Bates." I informed and the information came on screen, showing all my Pokémon.

"Let's see, yes your information checks out. Ruby Bates from Pallet Town. Wow, you've earned a lot of badges, and even participated in the Silver Conference. I'm impressed." She told me with a smile as I gave a modest blush and returned it. "I'll need to see your ribbons too, if you don't mind." She said so I brought out my case and opened it for her, letting her verify each one. "Wonderful, everything is in order. You're now entered for the Grand Festival, congratulations. This is your own guidebook, which has maps of the stadium, contest rules and all kinds of location directions from restaurants to shops."

"Thanks so much." I said, taking my pass and the guidebook away with me as May registered herself. Once she was done, we all raced off to find the dorm rooms, laughing excitedly as I chased Max, trying to catch him until finally, I did, however I almost dropped him again when we looked up to see the place we were staying in. "Wow…" We all awed at once.

" _Those_ are the dorms?" Max questioned in disbelief.

"More like a hotel." Ash appreciated until I noticed someone walk up behind May and cover her eyes with their hands.

"Guess who?" A voice said softly and instantly May stood bolt upright.

"Mom! You're here!"

"Mom!" Both the siblings cheered as she chuckled sweetly.

"I thought you might be surprised to find me here." She told them as Max flung his arms around his mom for a hug.

"I've been missing you so much mom!" She smiled and hugged him to her as May lifted her hands hopefully.

"Did you come to watch me compete?"

"I sure did. I wouldn't want to miss watching my own daughter compete in the Grand Festival! Good to see you three again too, you're all looking well. Ruby, congratulations and making it here as well." Caroline said to me and I gave her a smile.

"Thanks Caroline, that's very sweet." May suddenly looked around and I instantly knew who she was looking for.

"Where's dad? Isn't he here?"

"No, I'm sorry dear." Caroline said, giving an apologetic look at May who hung her head slightly but then her mom tapped her nose gently. "But don't you worry, he'll be watching you on TV and I can promise he won't miss a single thing." She said and May gave a nod of her head, perking up a bit. I was just about to suggest we go upstairs to relax when I heard someone snort with laughter behind me.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me." Oh no…not her. Anybody but her…not _her_!

"Hey, isn't that…?" Ash began as I turned around and clenched my fists.

"Sophia Winthrop." I ground my teeth together, eyes going dark and stormy as she laughed then flicked out her golden hair, walking towards us.

"I see your attire has not improved very much." She drawled, fluttering those long lashes that decorated her ice cold but still very appealing blue eyes. With a flick of her finger she tilted my hat back then gave a tug on my neckerchief. "All drab and peasant like, of course." I forced a smile.

"Hello Sophia, still buying and selling your Pokémon because you're too lazy to lift a finger to raise them yourself?" I questioned her and she snorted.

"What other way is there to get perfect Pokémon? I can assure you, there is no chance of you winning this year's Grand Festival, not with me in the game. You are going to lose, you pathetic little wimp." Instantly Max and May steamed up, rising to my defence.

"Hey! You leave her alone!" Max yelled.

"Yeah and don't talk to Ruby that way. She's a better trainer and coordinator than you ever will be!" May announced and I blinked at them before giving a grateful smile, however Sophia only rolled her eyes.

"Please, if you have nothing of importance to say, then don't say anything at all." She then turned to face me full on and I gulped slightly, feeling my palms beginning to sweat slightly. This girl creeps me out. "I see you're still surrounding yourself with idiots, losers and whiners of the sorts."

"I guess it takes one to know one." I answered coldly, making her bristle. The two boys knew better than to interfere, Brock smartly pulling everyone back a few paces as I took care of Sophia. "Now go away. You're ruining the perfect view of my stay here." I informed her and instantly she hissed. "You spoil the picture." I spoke in such a deadpan tone that it irritated Sophia well beyond belief.

"What? Don't you want to see my new Pokémon?" She questioned so I sighed and dramatically whirled around to walk away into the dormitories.

"Not really, I couldn't care less about what Pokémon you have. I'll beat them no matter what." I said, ushering everyone inside by holding open the door. The moment we were safe, I shot to the wall and hid there out of sight, curling up slightly and clenching my fists as I growled.

"Ruby…are you okay?" Max asked me with worry as I saw flashes of that horrific battle right before my eyes, seeing Pidgeot, Dragonair, Scyther and poor Jigglypuff being knocked down harshly before that great blast of Ninetales's fire attack.

Letting out a bursting cry of frustration, I hammered my fists into the wall, making everyone jump back with a yelp. "Ruby?"

"Dear it's alright, that girl was just nasty." Caroline said as I straightened up.

"I'm sorry. I just need…to clear my head." I said, peeking around the edge of the wall to check that the coast was clear before going for a walk outside. I sensed May move after me but Brock gently held her back.

"She's needs a moment." As I walked outside, I passed by everyone without even seeing. Why was _she_ here? Was she following me or something? It's totally unfair, and I don't need this kind of pressure right now! If I end up facing Sophia again, my Pokémon could get seriously hurt, and she'll not hold back a single shred of power to send me a message. Stupid girl.

I stayed out for a long time, walking around and around in circles until I cried out in frustration. "That's it, I've had it!" Though I spoke to no one except the moon, I turned my face up and just let it all out in a scream, gripping my hair tightly before finally exhaling.

Strangely I felt a little better, like I'd blown away the last of my steam and I even laughed, shaking my head before running back to the dorm. When I got there, it was to the best surprise I could ever wish for. I opened the door, and instantly I was tackled to the ground by something very blue and _very_ affectionate. "Vaporeon? Vaporeon! Oh I've missed you!" I cried out, hugging her tightly with laughter as tears streamed down my face, her warm tongue lapping against my cheek.

"Poreon! Vaporeon Poreon!" She cheered, paws planted firmly into me until I had scooped her up and sat upright, seeing everyone smiling at me, Max giving a chuckle. Professor Oak was there, standing by the table which everyone crowded around where two eggs sat, perfectly identical with a brown body and a cream strip around the middle. Instantly I gasped.

"No way. Are those what I think they are?" I gasped, scrambling to stand up as Professor Oak walked over.

"They are indeed, and they're ready to hatch." Professor Oak told me as he placed both hands on my shoulders and led me forwards. You got back just in time, we were afraid we'd have to send a search party out for you." He teased as the eggs began to glow.

"Umbreon." Gary's Umbreon jumped up onto the table and Max instantly stood up on his toes.

"Wow! This is so cool! We're going to see an egg hatch for real!"

"It's so exciting, I think I know what they're going to be!" May squealed as I stood there, eyes widening in awe as the eggs glowed brighter, positioned close together. Vaporeon licked my cheek one last time before jumping onto the table to sit beside her eggs, Umbreon opposite her and they nuzzled noses until finally, the eggs formed their shapes into tiny little Eevee's that could sit in the palm of my hand, resting on soft blankets as tears began to stroll down my cheeks. They're here…my Vaporeon's little Eevees…they're both here.

"Vee? Vee Vee?" They squeaked and both mom and dad began to lick their fur gently, Vaporeon laying down as they snuggled close to her for extra warmth and comfort.

"They're…so…cute!" May squealed as quietly as possible as everyone beamed.

"They're finally here! That's so cool, and you got to see them hatch just like you wanted Ruby." Ash said, stepping up to me and placing a hand on my shoulder as Pikachu patted the back of my neck.

"Pika Pika? Pikachu." He said and I sniffed, wiping my eyes.

"I'm fine. I'm just…so happy right now." I said before lowering myself to my knees and peered over the top of the table, stretching out a hand to gently touch one of the Eevee with a finger, brushing against its tail as its eyes still couldn't open.

They were the most beautiful things I have ever seen. New life from a Pokémon I had raised since it was also very small. Even as Max and May took turns taking pictures with my camera, I couldn't imagine capturing the moment as perfectly than simply being in the same room.

All worry and fear escaped me, flooding away with my tears as I smiled then stood up a little, placing my finger close to an Eevee and it gripped on with its paws, learning through touch and smell as I gently guided it closer to Vaporeon as Umbreon looked on with silent pride, eyes glistening slightly. "Hey, Umbreon." I said and he looked at me. I gave him a tear stained smile. "You can hide behind that tough guy act all you like, I can see that tear wanting to fall." I sniffed with a little laugh as Vaporeon helped the Eevees to turn over as they squeaked.

"Remarkable, I've never seen Eevees so small, this must be because there were two eggs instead of one. I shall have to investigate this further." Professor Oak said before snapping his fingers. "Oh before I forget, Ruby. I've brought a basket with me. I thought it may be safer for the little ones to sleep in here with their parents in case they get lost in here or fall out of your bed, seeing as I know that's where you'll want to keep them." He said and I could only nod my head in reply, too focused on these little angels.

"Can I hold one?" Max asked but Umbreon gave a throaty growl in reply.

"It's alright Umbreon, Max is like my little brother. We're all family here." I said then looked at Vaporeon. "May I hold them, please?" I asked and she dipped her head, sitting up so I gently scooped one Eevee into my hand and then the other, holding them in the cradle of my arm as Vaporeon and Umbreon hovered protectively close by. "They're so beautiful. Great job you two." I said and Vaporeon smiled at me.

"Vaporeon." So once the little ones were settled, I gently slipped one into Max's hand and the other into May's. Everyone had a turn holding them and I could tell Caroline had fallen in love with them as much as with May's Beautifly.

"Oh, they're so darling." She said, snuggling one gently against her face before offering the little Eevee to Umbreon who picked it up by the scruff then carried it over to the basket where he placed it down at Vaporeon's belly, her tail curling protectively around them as he lay down next to her, snuggling close.

"So May, did you do any practice today?" I asked as I wiped my eyes dry for the hundredth time.

"Yeah! We met Harley today, he's totally sorry for what he did and we've made up." She told me brightly. "He's suggested that I only use Silver Wind to wow the judges through all the rounds and in my battles, we're sure to score high points!" She informed and I almost dropped the plate of cookies I had just made in celebration, however Max had to lunge for the brownies as those I did drop and he only just caught them, diving for the floor in a slide.

"What?! May, what are you thinking?" I demanded and she blinked at me.

"What, you don't think it's a good idea?" She questioned so I put the cookies down and came to sit beside her.

"May, the judges are looking for you to show of Beautifly in every aspect of its ability, which means you'll need to show how she can vary her attacks. Silver Wind is a beautiful move, however if you keep on using it over and over again, it'll lose its appeal and then you won't score as many points. It seems to me that Harley's just setting you up for failure." Her eyes widened.

"Harley's…cheating…again?" She whispered before gripping her hair. "Oh! Why can't I think for myself?!" She cried out so I gave her a confident smile.

"Hey, you've got Harley, I've got Sophia. Both of them are a huge pain. Ones that _we'll_ have to deal with ourselves." I said then held out my hand for her to grab into a fist, narrowing her eyes determinedly as I mirrored her expression. "And once we're through with them, they'll be running back to whatever city or town they come from. There's nothing that can stop us, right?"

"You got it. I'm done taking advice from people who only care about winning. From now on, I'm only going to listen to my friends, because I can trust them!" May declared proudly, standing up before grabbing the cookie plate and stuffing three cookies into her mouth all at once. "Hmm…these are so good!"

That night I slept with the basket in my room right next to my bed, my hand dangling out to rest against Vaporeon's back as Umbreon sat in the window, keeping watch over the night. With the opening rounds starting tomorrow, I knew I had a lot to consider. I knew which Pokémon I was going to be using, however I just hoped it would be enough.


	52. Chapter 53

"Okay May, just breathe, remember to breathe…breathing is the key…RUBY I'M NOT BREATHING!" May shrieked so I clapped my hand over her mouth.

"Quiet May, or you'll wake the dead from their graves." I said before giving a sigh, shaking my head with a smile. "You really are nervous, aren't you?"

"Yeah. You could say that." May said as she gripped onto the rose she had been bequeathed by Drew. Her second rose since arriving here. Apparently Harley had quite the mouth, and had publically embarrassed May by noting how romantic the gesture seemed. As well as gripping the rose in her lap, May clung on to the charm necklace that I had given her, taking deep breaths.

"It's okay you know. I'm nervous too."

"You don't look it." She pointed out and I gave a short laugh.

"Ha! Yeah, probably because I've battled in sixteen different gyms and competed in the Johto League. I'm used to the nerves but you, this is your first _huge_ competition, so this is healthy, don't worry. It keeps you focused." I assured her, taking her by the hand and walked with her to get some fresh water. "Now, just keep on breathing, make sure you drink plenty because I can imagine it's going to be very hot on that stage with all those lights, and then just remember to smile." I encouraged before my call came. Giving her a last wink and a smile, I left her to take my place on the stage.

It was much larger than anything I was used to, and there were so many people out there. Professor Oak had come just to see me, however there was no one else from home, no one from my family and that kind of hurt a little.

"It doesn't matter." I said, suddenly smiling. "I have someone who can break the ice. Jigglypuff, it's show time!" I called and I flung out her Pokéball. "Jigglypuff! Sing!" Instantly Jigglypuff appeared with a twirl, her body shining brightly from her well groomed coat, eyes sparkling clearly as she looked out to her audience and landed gracefully. She moved one foot back with long, elegant movements before beginning to sing.

"Ji…gglypuff, Jiggly…puff." I closed my eyes and soaked in the sound, allowing her voice to calm any nerves I once had until I opened them once more to find myself surrounded by music notes, all shining with different hues and colours, sparkling with tiny fragments as the entire audience awed with wide open mouths, Jigglypuff filling the entire stadium with her voice and musical decoration.

Once she had finished she took a bow, which I think scored her extra points as we managed to get a score of ninety. "Awesome Jigglypuff, you did it!" I squealed, picking her up and spinning around. "Come on, let's go back and find May." We hurried back, and then it was smooth sailing. Both May and I got through to the next round, where we could really show off our Pokémon.

We were outside of the stadium and May had let out all her Pokémon, though Jigglypuff still stood on my shoulder. Beautifly fluttered down and landed on May's head, making her smile before she turned to her Pokémon. "Okay, which one of you wants to pair up with Beautifly?" She questioned and they all called out, wanting their turn and she giggled. "Okay, okay, you'll all take turns!" She promised and I smiled.

"It's a good idea to use Beautifly, seeing as she's been in contests for the longest." I told her. "Which is why I'm using Jigglypuff for my second round too."

"Really? That's great!" May beamed but then I got serious.

"But you need to let your other Pokémon all have a chance too, they all really want to compete." I said, kneeling down and rubbed Combusken and Bulbasaur's heads as they smiled and leaned into my touch. "Isn't that right guys?"

"Well yeah but…Beautifly is the one I've been training for this moment." May said thoughtfully.

"Then let's start some new training! Jigglypuff, I choose you!" I called with a smile, leaping forwards and she jumped off my shoulder and we both landed one in front of the other. "Okay May, choose your first Pokémon!"

"You got it. Skitty! You're up!" May called and Skitty meowed excitedly before running forwards. "Mind if I go first?"

"Be my guest." I invited with a competitive smile, noticing that Drew had lifted his head, stopping his polishing of his Pokémon to pay some interest in what May was doing.

"Okay then Skitty, Assist!"

"Hold steady Jigglypuff." I told her as Skitty powered up. Suddenly String Shot fired out and I reacted upon impulse.

"Ice Beam!" Jigglypuff blasted the String Shot, freezing it over. "Now Double Slap!" Jigglypuff powered forwards, inflating herself slightly to appear more intimidating as she broke up the frozen String Shot.

"Counter with your own Double Slap!" May pointed and Skitty jumped forwards, twisting around then whipped out her tail, slapping at Jigglypuff who only hit her tail aside, the two attacks nullifying one another. "Now Assist!"

"Dodge it!" Skitty spun around as Jigglypuff leaped out the way, however as Skitty's Assist formed, it turned into a Petal Dance which blew Jigglypuff away.

"Puff!"

"Stay focused, use Ice Beam and Spin!" I ordered and Jigglypuff instantly did as I had said, spinning around with the spiralling Petal Dance and all the wind and petals froze over, forming a slide which Jigglypuff glided down before bouncing out at the end, blinking.

"Jiggly!" She finally cheered, laughing as Skitty became distracted with this new slide and instantly began to jump up and skid down it, the other Pokémon joining in as we all laughed.

"Skitty, we're in the middle of a battle!" May complained at her playful Pokémon before sighing and giving in. "Okay…I guess we can take a break."

"Wow May, that was just incredible! What you did with the Assist? Totally took my breath away! You know what? You should use it in your next round! Oh yes, the judges will _love_ that." Harley had suddenly jumped up out of nowhere, scaring the hell out of May as he suddenly scooted around and gripped her hands. "You could a perfect combination with that Assist when it uses Silver Wind, then you'll be sure to go straight on through!"

"But I can't know whether or not I'll get Silver Wind, it could be anything." May stammered slightly as I narrowed my eyes and glanced to Caroline and Brock who were looking on with similar faces. Having had enough of Harley invading May's personal space, I grabbed the back of his jacket and hauled him a few steps away from her.

"Okay cactus man, I think it's time you go plant your feet somewhere else." I told him, folding my arms and stepping in front of May. "You're not fooling anyone with this guilty act of yours, you're just trying to set May up for failure." Harley gasped in mock horror.

"No! I would never do such a thing!" He declared and I arched an eyebrow.

"And Surskit are slow." I pointed out, making him chuckle.

"Oh honey, that was all in the past! Now scoot over cowgirl, May and I need to talk, don't we sweetie!" But before he could get past me, I had grabbed his jacket and spun him around without even shifting a foot.

"I don't think so." Harley blinked before placing his hands on his hips, strutting his stuff.

"What is it with you? Wait, you're not being _over_ protective of May because…oh dear…you're not in _love_ with her are you? Oh that's so romantic!" Instantly I wanted to vomit.

"Jigglypuff?" My Jigglypuff questioned as she stomped over and stood beside me.

"Of course I love May." I said and everyone instantly gasped, staring at me in shock. "She's like my own sister, just like I love Max and Brock and Ash. So don't you dare go trying to mess with anyone, or you've got _me_ to deal with." I warned Harley, who giggled a little manically.

"Okay sugar, whatever you say." He said, waving a little hand at me. "But you might want to freshen up on your little puffball's act. It's a little snooze-ville, if you get my drift." I didn't even try to stop Jigglypuff as she yelled in anger and leaped at Harley, making him yell before he fell backwards with a Double Slap to the face.

Bursting into a fit of laughter I shook my head then snapped my fingers, getting Jigglypuff's attention then winked at her. "Now Jigglypuff, what have I told you about hitting mean, weird, nasty people? It's very wrong." I said to her sarcastically then gestured with my head so she jumped back onto my shoulder. "Get out of here Harley, before I call out my Charizard to barbeque you."

"Hey! You won't get away with this, no one makes a fool out of me!" Harley practically shrieked as the guys behind me just laughed, so I stretched out my arms, slid back a foot then took an elegant bowing curtsey.

"I apologise, perhaps you should have told me _before_ I made a fool of you." I told him before turning and walking away. I gave a wink to the other Pokémon who all cheered as I stepped up to May.

"Wow, you're so awesome Ruby. I wish I were more like you. You're so tough and strong." May said. "Just like your Jigglypuff."

"Jiggly." Jigglypuff agreed and I gave a chuckle.

"It comes with practice." I said before giving her a comforting hug.

The next rounds came by swiftly and soon, I was back on stage with Jigglypuff's Pokéball in hand. "Alright Jigglypuff, it's show time!" I told her confidently and flung out her Pokéball. "Use Flash!"

"Jigglypuff! Jiggly…puff!" She cheered, instantly exploding out of her Pokéball with a bright golden light which shone out like a miniature sun, hovering in the air as she inflated her body, causing the entire audience to awe at the mystifying move.

"Now Jigglypuff, use Ice Beam." I directed calmly and Jigglypuff began to twirl, spouting her Ice Beam with strong yet artistic flare.

"Amazing! Look at this folks, Jigglypuff's Ice Beam is actually creating tall ice pillars which reflect the light of Jigglypuff's astonishing Flash, which…oh my goodness!" Vivien gasped as the light hit fully and the stage burst into seven different colours, shining out into the audience as Jigglypuff giggled to herself. "How…how beautiful…I've never seen anything like it before!"

"And to finish, use Sing. Lull them with your beautiful voice Jigglypuff." I said as Jigglypuff landed on one of her pillars. Taking a deep breath Jigglypuff began to sing, her voice carrying out and everyone sighed, relaxing.

"Folks, if you've never met this Jigglypuff before, then I can promise you that once you've heard it use Sing, you'll never forget its sweet and stress easing sound." Vivien murmured sleepily into her microphone as Jigglypuff continued to sing.

Smiling proudly I looked up at her, perfectly at ease in front of all these people. Even if I'd been a nervous wreck, Jigglypuff wouldn't have bat an eyelid at such a small thing as thousands of people watching her. She's enjoying every second of it. "And now finish Jigglypuff." I said to her. "Use Pound!" Instantly Jigglypuff pounded against the ice, shattering it into tiny fragments which glittered everywhere, their delicate coldness reviving the audience and they all gasped in awe at the beautiful sparkles that now surrounded Jigglypuff who bowed and smiled as they cheered.

"A perfect performance, using a tough Pound to break the ice, Jigglypuff has woken up her audience and they can't seem to get enough of it. You can hear them chanting for more!" Vivien giggled as Jigglypuff sprang back and flipped as I walked forwards, landing on my shoulder as we both lifted our hands and waved. "Now, let's see the scores. What will it be?" She wondered aloud and we both looked to see numbers flit by before finally, it landed on a solid ninety seven. "Amazing! A very high score, a great effort from Ruby and her now famous Jigglypuff, you'd better watch out folks, this one is tough to beat when it comes to stage presence."

"You got that right!" I cheered, swinging around with Jigglypuff as she cheered.

"Jigglypuff! Jigglypuff Puff!" She jumped on my shoulder as I put her there and walked off stage for the next performance, however I now felt perfectly at ease. I didn't care about Sophia, I didn't care about Harley, I didn't even care that my parents weren't here. I'm just glad that _I'm_ here, and more importantly, here with my friends.


	53. Chapter 54

With our first battle round about to go underway, I looked down at my two Pokéballs. May had already defeated Harley, which she was pretty proud of and he was still off sulking, however I now faced a very strong looking coordinator called Arty. He had a powerful duo of a Swampert and Golem, which shouldn't be too much of a problem for me.

"Okay Gardevoir, Gallade, it's show time!" I called and sent them out. Gallade instantly struck his battle pose, elbow swords lengthening as Gardevoir closed her eyes and looked as elegant and graceful as she could whilst sparkling. Our time began and the battle was on.

"Swampert, use Water Gun, Golem, you use Rollout!" Arty practically bellowed and I smirked, taking a deep breath to keep my cool.

"Reflect and Leaf Blade." I countered simply and both Pokémon moved with alarming speed. Gardevoir held out her hands and a large shimmering shield of blue of different colours appeared, reflecting the Water Gun attack with beauty right back at Swampert as Gallade slashed his glowing green blades, stopping Golem in his tracks and flung it back.

"Incredible! A powerful start from these branched evolution pairs. This could get very interesting indeed." Vivien announced as she watched our battle.

"Argh! Golem, use Earthquake and Swampert, jump up onto Golem!" Arty directed and his Pokémon nodded. Instantly Gallade swept Gardevoir off her feet as Earthquake was struck, making everyone gasp and then awe as the knight jumped up into the air.

"Use Psychic, hold yourselves up!" I called out to them. "And Gardevoir, Magical Leaf on both of them!"

"Dodge it!" Golem tried to roll away but in its haste, knocked Swampert flying from its back, making it land on the ground hard however with a graceful flourish of her arm, still held in in Gallade's safe grip, Gardevoir loosened her attack and both struck with super effect, not missing despite them trying to dodge. "What?! How come it chased after them?" Arty yelled, gripping his head as he began to sweat, feeling the pressure.

"Because Magical Leaf is something you can't just dodge, it never fails to hit that way." I explained as I looked up to Gallade. "Okay, bring yourselves down now, then strike out with a double Psychic attack!" Gallade and Gardevoir instantly began to move, Gallade letting Gardevoir float out of his arms before they turned and blasted the arena with a powerful attack, sweeping back Golem and Swampert as they landed in the middle of the stage. "Sweep it up into a whirlwind and add Magical Leaf!" I called out over the noise and Gardevoir instantly began to twirl, dancing as she went with Magical Leaf floating all around them.

The mixture of serenity and power shocked and awed the audience, causing them to stare with mouths hanging open and wide eyes as my Pokémon circled one another until finally, Arty ran out of points and his Pokémon were knocked out the battle.

Well, it was a great warm up. "No! No, no, no!" Arty yelled, stamping his feet. "I can't have lost, I can't have! No!"

"Wow, sore loser." I blinked before laughing and running happily to my two heroes. "Way to go guys, I'm so proud of you!" I told them and they both turned to me, smiling. Gallade nodded his head, silent as ever but Gardevoir reached out and embraced me, lifting me up with her Psychic so that I could reach, making me giggle before Gallade hugged me as well.

So, I proceeded to the second stage. Only thing was, my next opponent was Sophia. "Now folks, this is an interesting twist in our tail. Apparently Ruby and Sophia faced each other once before in battle, only last time it was at the Johto League Silver Conference. This could be the battle of the century, with tensions running high as both are eager to make their mark. Can Ruby overcome her last defeat? Let's find out. Begin!"

"Too right I can. It's show time!" With both my Pokémon on stage, I waited for Sophia who gave me a giggle then smirked.

"My darlings, come greet your fans!" I was met with a stunning vision of a beautiful Altaria and Delcatty. "How do you like my new Pokémon Ruby dear?"

"I pity them for being yours. Gallade let's go, use Psychic on Altaria, Gardevoir, Magical Leaf!" Both my Pokémon instantly jumped into action, Gardevoir dancing as she moved whilst Gallade moved with fighting style, however I'd trained and taught him how to be fluid and elegant in his movements too so that he mirrored Gardevoir perfectly.

"Altaria, Cotton Guard." Sophia giggled. "And Delcatty my little sweetie, Blizzard!" Instantly Altaria rose up and the cotton on her body expanded, fluffing up and trailed a sparkling dust as she lifted up into the air to avoid the Blizzard.

"Reflect!" I quickly countered and Gardevoir changed swiftly from a Magical Leaf into Reflect, shielding Gallade behind it as well to deflect the Blizzard, however it was so powerful that it began to push her back slightly as Gallade focused on Altaria.

His Psychic attack blasted her out the air, swiping at Delcatty however it jumped out of the way. Gardevoir's Reflect was frozen solid, forming dark blue and black ice which was quite beautiful in some ways. "Leaf Blade on the ice Gallade, then Gardevoir use Psychic!" I decided, realising that the ice would have a serious effect on Altaria, being a part dragon type. Plus if Sophia used Blizzard again, I can use that to do damage back.

Gallade cut the ice easily, slicing through then Gardevoir moved after him, flinging the ice up at Altaria and Delcatty, who evaded more easily that the Altaria, who got struck down with some major damage and our points began to even out.

"Delcatty, use Take Down on Gallade, Altaria honey, use Dragon Pulse on it too!" Instantly my mind worked, cogs spinning wildly in my head.

"Gardevoir, shield Gallade from Altaria and Gallade, Close Combat!" Fighting type moves were super effective against normal types. Let's see Delcatty try get out of this one. I watched as Gardevoir moved in front of Gallade, floating in the air and she held out her hands, taking the pulse head on and everyone gasped as it disappeared upon impact, not doing any damage whatsoever, merely burst into a bunch of purple sparkles which showed off Gardevoir's appeal very nicely. It seemed when it comes to displaying beauty, Sophia is very out of her own depth.

Gallade began to attack Delcatty, who tried to jump out of the way and only avoided some of the attacks before Gallade landed his mark and he knocked it back with several kicks and punches, draining a lot of its energy through damage. The points were now in my favour.

Sophia screamed out loud in frustration as I stood there, keeping my cool with my Pokémon standing at a slight angle, positioning me at the centre as I tilted my hat slightly, smirking. "You could always quit you know." I offered but Sophia only grit her teeth and growled before pointing.

"Use Aerial Ace and Shadow Ball!" She yelled and before I knew it, the attacks were launched. My eyes widened as Gallade took the Aerial Ace from Altaria and Gardevoir the Shadow Ball, both being effective moves and they continued to be struck again and again, making my eyes go wide in panic. What do I do?

Gallade managed to leap, standing in front of Gardevoir who collapsed to the ground but still managed to hold her upper body upright, breathing heavily as Gallade bravely took each of the Shadow Ball hits.

Memories flashed through my mind, my heart suddenly speeding up to an uncontrollable pace as I saw the last battle we'd had, and how painfully awful it was to see all my Pokémon get hurt, and the snide remarks and stabbing comments of Sophia, it just got too much back there, and now it looks like she's overwhelmed me again. WHAT DO I DO?

Looking at Gallade and Gardevoir, it didn't seem they could take much more and Gardevoir had already used Reflect, it was the only thing that was protecting them at the moment, halving the damage however it was soon going to break, I…my mind's gone blank. I just…I just don't know…

"YOU CAN DO IT BABY!" Someone suddenly yelled from a silent crowd and I whirled around, eyes going wide. "YOU SHOW THAT STUCK UP BRAT EXACTLY WHO SHE'S MESSING WITH!"

"M-Mom?" I blinked, seeing her standing up with dad, both of them waving at me.

"You can do it honey, just relax!" Dad cheered and then Ash, Pikachu, Professor Oak, Caroline, Brock, Max and May were all cheering too. My eyes filled with tears as a grateful smile lit my face, looking up into the crowds.

"Yeah! You can do it Ruby!" Suddenly my eyes narrowed and I turned my head back. My parents were here. They were here! You know what that means? There's no way I'm losing this fight.

"Gallade, Leaf Blade to deflect those Shadow Balls!" I returned to the battle and Gallade instantly leaped into action, fighting even harder than before as my heart began to slow down to a normal beat. "Gardevoir, Magical Leaf." She spun around and began to dance again, blowing her leaves towards the Shadow Balls which Gallade had spun back into the air and with each leaf she cut them to pieces so that a shower of purple sparkles rained down upon them, causing them to shine outstandingly. Sophia was not impressed.

"Use Blizzard Delcatty, you stupid Pokémon! And you bird brain, use Dragon Pulse and knock them out already!" As Delcatty forced itself to recover from the numerous hits it had already taken it then blasted my team with its Blizzard attack. Perfect.

"Gallade. Gardevoir." I called and they both narrowed their eyes, side by side. "Double Psychic attack!" I flung up my hands the same moment they did, mirroring their movements as they twisted the Blizzard around, making the entire audience gasp as it whirled around in a spiral, not even touching my team then turned back on Altaria and Delcatty.

The intense wave of ice and air swirled around and around, glowing around the edges due to Gallade and Gardevoir's Psychic before finally, I told them to let it go and both Altaria and Delcatty were defeated. Battle Off. The crowd went wild but I was deaf in the ear. I couldn't hear a thing as I looked down.

I felt sorry for those Pokémon, trained all their lives only to be thrown away the moment they made a mistake. I wish there were something I could do about it. "Gardevoir?" I looked up to see both my Pokémon looked at me with worry.

"I'm fine." I said, giving them a smile. "I'm so proud of you guys for holding in there, for not giving up on me. I don't deserve such amazing Pokémon like you." I said, tears in my eyes as I flung my arms around them both and hugged them. "I love you two."

"Gardevoir..." My Gardevoir said softly as Gallade rubbed my back. I sniffed and took a deep breath, stepping back and smiled at them again.

"Go on, you both take a long rest. You've earned it." I assured them then let them return to their Pokéballs as Vivien congratulated me on getting to the top eight coordinators at the Grand Festival. Sophia, on the other hand, was having a prissy hissy fit.

"It's not _fair_! _I_ was supposed to win! These useless Pokémon couldn't even take out a flimsy Feebas!" She raged as her doting mother tried to calm her down as the tears continued to fall. "DADDY!" She screamed and I arched my eyebrow as her Pokémon groaned, trembling in pain.

"Oh dear, it seems someone is being a bad sport." Vivien said as I walked on over to the Pokémon.

"Sophia, stop crying and take care of your Pokémon!" I ordered her, making her whirl around to face me. "They need to be treated right away."

"Like I care." She sneered, making the entire stadium gasp. "I don't want them anymore, you can keep those lousy excuses for Pokémon if you want. They're of no use to me now." With that Sophia actually tossed me her Pokéballs, both of which I caught in both hands, eyes widening slightly before I narrowed them at Sophia, who flicked out her hair and walked away as the crowd began to boo.

"But Sophia! You can't just abandon your Pokémon, they need your help." Vivien called out after the spoiled brat but she just kept on walking. "Oh my…what a…how terrible." She said as I turned to the two Pokémon and gently rested my hands on their heads, making them blink up at me.

"Don't worry. You're safe now." I promised them, stroking Altaria's soft feathers and Delcatty's warm fur. "I'll take care of you and I'll make sure you find great homes." I vowed and Delcatty purred at me, weakly licking my hand as I lifted their Pokéballs. "Now return, we'll get you to the Pokémon Centre."

"And here we have a caring display from Ruby, good show! _That's_ what we like to see here at the Grand Festival!" Vivien called out and the crowd all stood up and cheered though I was already hurrying on my way, running to the Pokémon Centre where a Nurse Joy was already there to meet me.

"Here Ruby, I'll take care of the Pokémon." She said and I instantly handed the four Pokéballs over. "It's such a shame, and in public too. They're not going to forget this day." She sighed sadly as she placed the four Pokémon on the machine to restore their health and energy. "What will you do with them? Shall I call for Officer Jenny to take them for you? I'm sure we'll be able to set them free somewhere, or find them a new home." Nurse Joy offered but I shook my head.

"No, I'll take care of them." I promised, receiving back the Pokéballs. I turned and walked away after giving Nurse Joy my thanks then found a quiet spot in the glade where I let out Delcatty and Altaria, both of whom stretched and called out happily, feeling ten times better than they did before. "Hey guys, you both look great." I said and Altaria flew down to settle beside me, folding her cottony wings around her like a soft pillow as she gazed up at me.

"Altaria Taria…" She chirped at me so I smiled and stroked her long neck as Delcatty purred, rubbing his head against me as I smiled.

"Listen, I know Sophia wasn't a great trainer, but I promise that I'm going to help you both out. Just tell me what it is you want to do and we'll sort something out." Altaria and Delcatty looked at one another, thinking before turning back to me.

"Altaria!" The Altaria looked towards the contest stadium where the next battle was taking place. A smile tugged at my lips. I guess she loved to battle in contest. Though Sophia didn't show off her appeal very well, I know someone who would love to train with a Pokémon as gorgeous as Altaria.

"In that case…have you heard about my friend May?" I asked then pointed to the screen where she was battling against her opponent, who had a Swalot and a Pinsir. "That's her. She's a beginner coordinator just like me, but she's very talented. I think what you need to start over again, learn how to really show yourself off and I think May will be able to bring that out in you perfectly."

"Altaria!" Altaria nodded her head then rubbed her cheek against mine, cooing softly as Delcatty meowed and simply continued to purr and nuzzle into me.

"And you just want to be friends, don't you Delcatty?" I asked him and he nodded his head but then began to paw at me. I sensed his insistence that I pay attention to something, so I closed my eyes and let him guide me as to what he wanted to say.

Delcatty showed me through aura how he'd once been a Skitty, and how a little boy had named him Kiki, however when the boy got a Poochyena, which was apparently way better than some Skitty, Kiki was sold to someone else. "Oh, so your name is Kiki? That's cute! I like it. Hey there Kiki, would you like to be my Pokémon?" I asked and Kiki nodded his head. "Awesome! That's so great, I'm happy for you guys." I told them both before giving them a hug. "Your worries are now over, you've got new friends just waiting for you." Kiki meowed happily then licked my cheek, making me giggle before I stood up. "Okay Altaria, return." She returned to her Pokéball, however I walked with Kiki at my side to watch the rest of May's match.

She and I both advanced to the third battle round, however I was once again facing Robert. He was a nice guy and wished me luck so I returned the favour, my new Delcatty sitting at my side to watch as I battled with Gardevoir and Gallade.

Although Gardevoir was somehow immune to dragon attacks like Twister, Robert's Milotic and Claydol just proved a little too much. He was very great at what he did and although I held my ground to the full five minutes, we lost on points, barely making a dent in Robert's score whilst I had just taken hit after hit.

"Ruby." Robert said to me as he walked over and I looked up at him, blinking slightly as I returned my Pokémon for some rest. "You are an extraordinary battler and artist. The way you bring out the best in your Pokémon is personal, as if you know them individually and very well." I gave him a smile.

"I do know my Pokémon that way. You see Robert, I don't just train with my Pokémon, I play with them. I let them out from time to time just to go for a walk or to eat ice cream. I spend time with them and I know them so well, I could pick them out from a field of Pokémon that looked exactly the same." I said to him then looked down at Kiki. "It's important for bonds to be strong in battling, right?"

"Of course. I have learned much from our battle. I thank you." He said then held out his hand. "One day, you shall certainly be surpassing me in the race for the Ribbon Cup, and most likely everyone else too." He said and I blushed humbly as we shook hands. "Well done."

"Good luck in your final battle, and thank you." The crowd all cheered as Robert turned around and lifted my hand up into the air, portraying me to the audience so I lifted my other hand and waved, spotting my parents who were gripping onto one another and sobbing proudly in the crowds.

"Mom! _Dad_!" I beamed, so glad that they were here to watch. Robert and I stepped away from one another, gave a bow then I walked off stage so that Robert could have his limelight, savouring the taste of victory as he prepared for his last battle.

May ran to meet me at the switch over for her battle with Drew, flinging her arms around me in a tight hug. "You were so great, I've never seen a battle more dazzling than that!"

"Thanks May, we really did our best." Kiki meowed at my side and May instantly began to fuss over my new cutie.

"Hey there sweetie, aren't you adorable?" May squealed, scratching Kiki behind the ears and he purred in response. "Is this Sophia's Delcatty? Are you keeping it?"

"Yup. Kiki's my Delcatty now. Oh and as for the Altaria, I had a little talk and…she's all yours." I said, drawing out the Pokéball then handed it to May who blinking in shock.

"What? For real?" She whispered, staring at the Pokéball. "Altaria wants me to be its trainer?"

"She loves the stage. I said if there was anyone who could bring out its full beauty, it's May. So go get them May, show Drew what you're made of and no matter what, we'll all be proud of you." I told her as she continued to stare down at the Pokéball.

"Ruby…you're the greatest friend I could have ever wished for." She said before springing into a hug once more. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. Now, get out there and show off your Pokémon." I said, making her giggle as she placed Altaria's Pokéball onto her belt then hurried up onto the stage. I watched her go with a smile, anticipating a great battle when I heard someone call out my name behind me.

"Ruby?" I froze in place before whirling around.

"Mom?"

"Oh Ruby, we're so proud of you!" My mom sniffed, dad's arm about her waist as she gently wiped away her tears. "And we're so sorry we didn't tell you we were here, we just…you see…"

"It's complicated sweetheart." Dad finished for her. I didn't care, I was just so glad to see them.

"Mom! Dad!" I ran into their arms, jumping and letting them catch me, my hat falling off my head but Kiki caught it in his mouth whilst purring, rubbing his head and body against my mom as she kissed my face and hugged me tightly. "I missed you guys." I told them through tears.

"We missed you too honey." Dad said then mom looked down at Kiki.

"Now. Let's look at this little darling. Hello there sweetie!" She cooed, stroking his soft fur as I wiped my eyes, smiling as I held onto dad.

"This is Kiki. He's my newest Pokémon." I introduced as mom began to tickle his belly as he rolled over. We matched May's match together, which she lost but as the crowd began to chant for her regardless, I saw that she didn't mind too much about losing. In fact, she just seemed more fired up then ever to train and work harder than before.

So after Robert was crowned official top coordinator and winner of the Ribbon Cup, the celebrations began. I ate as much as I could, laughing as I shared with Kiki, finding out his likes and dislikes. I learned that he absolutely _adored_ marshmallows. He couldn't get enough of the stuff so I was tossed them around most of the evening for him to catch.

My parents danced on the dance floor with moves that would shame me for years to come, however I took many photos to commemorate. I even took one of Robert and I, just for the sake of it before he went off to start on his new training regime.

With the evening in full swing, I didn't think there could be anything that could spoil it, until Harley stepped in front of me. "You know, I'm pretty surprised you got as far as you did." He said to me and I instantly narrowed my eyes.

"Hey, I worked hard for my spot, so don't even think about…"

"I just wanted to say congratulations, and what you did for those poor Pokémon? Totally divine." He said, gesturing lazily to Kiki. "I may like to win, but I care about my Pokémon doll face, and I can't stand anybody who would mistreat them. So you'd better take good care of kitten whiskers here or you'll have me to answer to." He informed simply, flicking his purple hair over his shoulder before walking away, me staring and blinking after him. Okay. That was weird.

"Well I'll be. Rubes is speechless. Now that's something you don't see every day." A voice said to me and I blinked before turning to face Gary, who snapped a photo of me and the flash of light made me blink and squint at him before my mouth fell open.

"Gary?!"

"Must you always sound so surprised to see me?" He questioned with a smirk as he folded his arms. "I came to see you compete. Missed the first round, but the appeals and battles were pretty awesome. Congrats." He said lazily as I just stared at him. Gary. Here. In Slateport City. Watched me compete. What?!

"But…you…you…"

"Come on Rubes, at least _try_ to sound like you have a brain. Dance with me, before I get swarmed by all these girls trying to get my attention." He said and before I knew it, he was dragging me onto the dance floor.

"Kiki! Save me!" I called out but Kiki merely jumped up onto a bench, curled up and went to sleep. Thanks a lot. Gary laughed then pulled me around to face him, one hand in mine as he lifted it to spin me around.

"It seems you've been hiding a lot of talent from us all Rubes. Who knew you could make such a terrifying battler in leagues and such a beautiful performer in contest." As everyone danced around us, I stood rooted to the spot though Gary somehow managed to lift up my arms and was making me dance with him as I frowned.

"Are you mocking me?" I questioned and he arched his eyebrow.

"Now whatever gave you that idea Rubes? I'm being honest." He answered just as the music changed. I blinked as Gary reached out and placed my hand on his shoulder as his went to my waist, drawing me closer. The slow music began to lull as everyone partnered up into couples, dancing slowly with a sway though Gary was actually leading me in a waltz. What…what's going on? How come I can't think straight? Maybe I shouldn't have eaten all that ice cream. It's given me brain freeze.

My eyes locked on Gary's and his expression was soft, reading mine studiously as if he were mapping out every feature of my face to commit it to memory. "Gary, why're you acting so weird?" I asked him and the smirk returned.

"Maybe you just bring out a new side of me Rubes. I can't tell. I think I'm just amazing all the time." I gave him an unimpressed look.

"You're an idiot."

"You're a klutz."

"And you're a proud jerk." He chuckled then leaned in closer, closing the distance between us with his head pressing against mine as he whispered softly in my ear.

"And that's just how you like me." Gary informed and I considered shoving him away to deck him one, but I figured with so many children around it wouldn't be very appropriate. Besides, I might break my knuckles against a skull that thick. "What? Nothing to come back with Rubes?"

"Only that I think you have a death wish. There is a very big drop only a few feet away from us. I could easily just throw you over. Or maybe Charizard is hungry, and after he's roasted your hide he can use your bones as toothpicks." I arched an eyebrow which only made Gary give a wry laugh.

"You're the only girl I know who seems able to resist my charm. I hope your condition isn't contagious."

"Who said you even had any charm to begin with?" I questioned but Gary only smirked in reply. His hand pulled me closer to him by the waist where he artfully pulled me out of the way of another couple who seemed lost in their own little world before he spun me around elegantly. "Where did you learn to dance like this?"

"My grandpa taught me. He was quite the gentleman in his day." He informed me and I arched an eyebrow, trying to imagine Professor Oak dancing in his youth with a pretty lady. It was a little difficult. Mostly I just saw him running around after Pokémon, or trying to complete his research.

I glanced down to the beach and blinked, doing a double take when I saw May and Drew down there. They were talking, however Drew seemed to have said something that had made May blush as I could just about see it from the lights that glittered up here. That's adorable! I wonder how May feels about Drew now?

"Friend of yours, right? May isn't it?" Gary questioned and I nodded my head.

"Yeah, she's great." I said with a smile before turning to look back him. "Did you know the eggs hatched? Two small but healthy little Eevees. Vaporeon and Umbreon are very proud." I told him and Gary nodded.

"Yeah I know. I haven't seen them yet though, I only got here this afternoon." Instantly I perked up.

"Well then, let's grab some food and head back! I promised I'd bring Vaporeon some ice cream and jelly." I said, almost glad to have an excuse to jump away from Gary as the closeness was beginning to make me feel overheated. There were so many people on that floor, and the lights didn't help either.

I piled a plate high, grabbed some more bowls then carried them back to the dorm where Gary helped me out, taking some of the food I'd helped myself too as Kiki walked by our sides. "Too bad you didn't win. That Milotic trainer looked pretty tough." Gary said and I shrugged.

"I'm not guttered out by it. He's a great coordinator, and it's only made me more determined to one day win a Grand Festival cup, so there's no need to be down." I explained as we walked back, following the lit streets.

"That's good, you can't give up now Rubes, that's for sure." Gary said before opening the door. I was about to step inside but then he walked in ahead of me. Great. Thanks for being such a gentleman _Gary_. I showed him the way up, however as we neared the door, I began to get a sense that something was wrong.

"Rubes? What's the matter?" Gary asked as I stopped in my place, sensing great distress and fear coming from within the dorm I was staying in. The air around me turned cold and I slowly began to feel a creeping darkness settle over me, making me shiver as I drew in a light, shaky breath. "Rubes? Ruby?"

"Something's not right." I said then slowly stepped forwards. I gasped when I saw the door had been broken in half with deep scratches made into the wood, something having forced its way inside. Instantly everything fell from my arms as I jumped forwards. "Vaporeon!" I shoved my way inside as Gary called out my name, also dropping everything however as I forced the door back, I was met with the shadow of a Pokémon standing up on hind legs, a snout full of snarling fangs and glowing red eyes which turned its snarl on me. Without thinking, I screamed.

"Ruby!" Gary grabbed me and forced me behind him, backing up into a corner where Kiki instantly hid behind my legs, trembling in fear as he curled up and closed his eyes to block out the image. "Umbreon, where are you?" I gripped onto the back of Gary's shirt tightly, trembling as I stared at the creature whilst it began to prowl forwards, snarling with saliva dripping from its lips. "Okay, Electabuzz go! Thunder Punch!" Gary ordered and sent out his Pokémon.

"Electabuzz!" Its fist crackled with electricity however the creature whirled around, sending a streak of dark energy at Electabuzz and it was flung back into the wall, making it crack as Gary's eyes widened.

"No! Electabuzz return." The hungry red eyes turned on me and I was instantly filled with fear, unable to move or think anything else other than how terrified I was at that moment. It was as if I were remembering every nightmare and every fear I had ever had, moulding it into one moment as this Pokémon loomed closer. "Ruby, it's okay." Gary whispered to me, still standing in front with his arm out to shield me. Suddenly the creature pounced and I cried out again as Gary whirled around and pulled me close to protect me, however over his shoulder I could still see.

Something ploughed into the monster, flinging it back with a furious snarl before forming an aura sphere, launching it at the Pokémon and its face was lit up for a split second, revealing sharp features, dark fur with streaks of red before it growled then leaped out the window.

The lights switched on just as the Pokémon disappeared from sight. "Lucario, after it." Sam ordered and I exhaled with relief, releasing the tight grip I had on Gary though I still clung onto him for a moment. "Ruby, are you hurt?" Sam demanded swiftly and I shook my head as Gary moved back slightly, my head resting against his chest. Sam closed his eyes and sighed with relief as I felt the fear suddenly drain away from me, being taken from the room.

"Vaporeon!" I suddenly cried out and I ran forwards however she leaped out of the bedroom, worried and frightened as she leaped into my arms.

"Poreon! Vaporeon Poreon." She whined, licking my cheek and Kiki cuddled close too and I hugged them both, relieved that it was all over.

"Where's Umbreon?" Gary demanded, looking around.

"Umbre…on…" Umbreon called weakly, dragging himself up from the dining room where he'd been left after being attacked by that Pokémon just for defending its family. "Umbreon…"

"Umbreon! Are you okay?" Gary asked, picking him up as I looked over at Sam.

"What was that Pokémon? And what are you doing here? How did you get in?" I demanded to know, face hard and demanding as Sam walked over the window to see outside.

"Lucario has lost him. We were so close this time…never mind. Lucario, come back." Sam murmured softly then two moments later, Lucario jumped through the window, standing in the frame before ducking under and Sam closed it behind him. "This way." He answered my last question, giving me a hard look. Instantly I realised why he was a little ticked off.

"Thanks for saving us." I said as Gary brought Umbreon over to me so I could treat him.

"Exactly who are you?" Gary demanded to know, standing a little protectively beside me as I began to see to the leg Umbreon had favoured.

"I'm no one of your concern, boy. Now leave so that Ruby and I may discuss something private." He ordered but I instantly lifted my eyes which flashed with anger.

" _Gary_ can stay." I emphasised his name so that he knew to use it next time. "Now answer the question, before I start to get mad." With a shake of his head Sam sat down, kicking a broken coffee table out of his way as he went.

"It was a Zoroark. Lucario and I have been tracking it for some time now, trying to find its master, however we have yet been unsuccessful. It appears tonight, it was after _you_ Ruby." That made me look up in surprise.

"Me? Why me?" I questioned.

"Because of your aura ability and capability. You're strong, and yet to grow stronger. Some will want that kind of power for their own gain and will use you to aid themselves." Sam informed me simply as I tied off the bandage around Umbreon then rubbed his head gently as Vaporeon licked his shoulder gently.

"So you're saying Ruby's in danger?" Gary questioned but Sam only shrugged.

"Not anymore. For the time being. Now that Zoroark knows we're onto it, it'll keep away for a while." That really boosts my confidence. Lucario walked over and touched my shoulder, making me look up at him as gave a gruff but gently sound and nodded his head reassuringly.

"Who are you? Really. Tell me who you are." I said suddenly, standing up and both Kiki and Vaporeon stood at my side as I held Umbreon in my arms. "You're hiding something from me, this room is full of secrecy and I don't like the feeling of it. So just tell me the truth!"

"You know who I am. I'm just Sam, an aura guardian." He answered me again, giving me a firm look with no other hint of an expression on his face. Gary blinked in surprise, looking between Sam and his Lucario. Just then I heard footsteps, which quickly began to run and I could tell the gang was coming.

"Ruby! Ruby are you in there?" Ash yelled, kicking past the door then stopped short. "What the…"

"RUBY!" My mom practically screamed and Sam flinched before trying to bolt for the window. Oh no, he's not escaping me that easily. He's running away from my interrogation and that's not about to happen.

"Ice Beam Vaporeon." I ordered and Vaporeon instantly charged her beam at Sam, sticking his foot in place just an inch out of reach from the window as everyone poured inside.

"My word, what happened?" Professor Oak asked as everyone took in the impressive damage to the room.

"Ask _him_." I said coldly, glaring at Sam as he grunted and broke the ice, Lucario springing forwards however before they could fly out the window, mom's voice stopped them.

"Samuel?" So she did know him. But why does she look like her heart was shattering just by looking at him? My mom and dad shared slightly panicked glances before dad turned to me.

"Honey, have you two met before?" I nodded my head. "I see…I guess you have some questions. We'd better all just…sit down."

"Maybe we should go." Caroline suggested but at the thought of being stuck alone in this trashed place with only these three made me panic, so I quickly reached out with one hand and gripped onto Ash's.

"No. Everyone can stay." I said in a monotone and Ash looked at me before nodding his head as Pikachu jumped onto my shoulder and touched his nose to my cheek with a worried nuzzle.

"Pika Pika?" He questioned so I let go of Ash's hand and tickled him behind the ear to reassure him, passing Umbreon over into Brock's care so that he could double check I'd taken care of everything.

"I'll put the kettle on." Professor Oak said and Caroline gave a nervous smile.

"Good idea! I'll help too. Tea all round? Yes? Great!" She babbled before walking into the kitchen after Professor Oak. May and Max walked over to the sofa and sat down, facing Sam who glanced their way then watched as I came and joined them, Kiki sitting down at my feet as Vaporeon returned to check on her sleeping babies. Luckily, they were both unharmed and had slept through the entire thing as their brave daddy had fought to protect them.

Gary and Ash came and leaned against the sofa behind us, Pikachu still on my shoulder to keep me company as mom gave me a smile. "You see pumpkin, the reason we haven't exactly been staying in contact much is because…well…" She looked imploringly towards dad who sighed.

"Because Sam here warned us that you were possibly in danger. After your little display at the Silver Conference, there are many people who want to get hold of you and we knew they'd try coming after us to get to you, which is why we moved to Mossdeep for a time." I arched an eyebrow slowly. "Don't get us wrong! We didn't lie to you exactly, I really was given a promotion and the new position is in Mossdeep, it just came at the most convenient time."

"Anyway sweetie. We limited contact so people wouldn't be sure where you were. With you off travelling so much, you were hard to locate, which is why they must have waited until the moment to try and take you away." Mom said, sniffing and dabbing her eyes and I relaxed slightly.

"So who's he?" I questioned, glancing to Sam, now wary of him.

"Sam? Oh he's…he's an old friend." I sat there in silence, signalling I didn't buy it. "Well actually dear, he's your uncle." This caught my attention. I sat up straighter and almost spoke, but then I noticed how mom was fidgeting slightly, squirming in her seat and I could sense the lie pouring off her.

"No he's not. You can't lie to me mom, I've trained myself to detect lies." I informed her, quickly growing irritated.

"That's right." Max said, lifting his head. "We used to play a game where we'd all make up stuff and Ruby had to figure out if it was true or not." He said but May clamped her hand over her little brother's mouth.

"Not now Max." Mom balked slightly, beginning to glance around, refusing to make eye contact as dad shifted uncomfortably in his seat, sweating slightly as he tugged on his collar uncomfortably. Only Sam sat perfectly calm and reserved, watching me with an unwavering look.

"Listen Ruby dear, I know it may sound all a little complicated and strange, but you've got to trust us." Dad said to me and my eyes snapped to him.

"How can I trust two people who have auras filled with lies and deceit? What are you not _telling_ me?" Mom swallowed her lips, biting on them to keep them shut, shaking her head.

"Nothing sweetheart…"

"Liar!" I leaped up and Kiki blinked up at me.

"Ruby, calm down. It's okay." Ash tried to reach out for my shoulder but I shrugged him off though Pikachu tried to shake me out of it.

"Pikachu Pi! Pika!" I picked Pikachu up off of my shoulder and handed him to May who took him as I faced my parents.

"No more hiding. I want to know the truth! Are you in danger? Are you scared of someone? Just tell me and I'll fight them all off for you! I can protect you, just please stop lying to me!" I pleaded desperately, heart hammering louder and louder in my chest.

"It's…that…we're…we're not…" Dad fumbled for the right words, going beetroot red and looking away until finally, mom couldn't stand it any longer and the truth rushed from her all at once.

"WE'RE NOT YOUR REAL PARENTS!" Then she burst into tears and hid her face. I felt as if I'd just run full speed into a brick wall. I staggered backwards, eyes widening as Lucario reached out and steadied me, worriedly holding onto my arm as his curled around my back as I took a sharp intake of breath.

"W-what? What do you mean? Of course your my parents…there's pictures…of me as a baby." I said in total confusion, shock hammering through my body as I just stood there, facing them.

"We're not your real parents, Ruby. You were given to us by your real father not long after you were born." Dad-I mean…Will informed me softly as he gently rubbed his wife's back as she continued to sob. "For your own good. Your mother wasn't in the right state of mind to take care of a child and your father wasn't able to take care of you both. Not with all his duties and responsibilities." Like that makes sense. What am I supposed to think now? What am I supposed to _do_?

"Who is he? Who's my real dad?" I asked but neither of them answered me, they just sat there, hand in hand and hanging their heads in shame.

"I am." Sam spoke in a melodic whisper. Finally, it became all too much. With me staring at him in shock as everyone around me gasped, I began to shake my head as tears dripped down my cheeks, wanting to clear every thought out of my mind. I have to get out of here, I have to get some air to think about this.

Turning around I bolted for the door, powering my way through and didn't look back even as everyone called out my name. Kiki chased after me, meowing and ran at my side after he'd caught up, using his body to guide me from hitting the wall as I ran blindly through the hall down the stairs then out the door, where I could still hear music playing and fireworks bursting in the sky with a thousand colours.

I ran until I was facing the ocean, looking out over the moonlit bay until finally, I broke down and curled up, giving a cry of frustration as Kiki gently pawed at my arm. "I'm fine." I lied, lifting my now tearless face as I sucked in a deep breath then shifted to get myself comfortable. "Just a little…overwhelmed." I said gently as Kiki placed his front paws in my lap then lay down, resting his head on me as I stroked his fur. "Thirteen years I've been living with them, and they never told me." I murmured. "This just keeps on getting crazier and crazier. I don't know what to think anymore."

Kiki lifted his head and meowed at me before lowering back down again. I sat watching the fireworks for a long time, watching as they decorated the stars until bubbles began to float around me. I blinked, turning my head as I watched them float and Kiki instantly leaped to try and catch them all, popping a few and I giggled.

"Pikachu Pi." I jumped slightly in hearing Pikachu and looked to see him sitting right next to me.

"Pikachu, I didn't hear you coming." I said with a weak smile before lifting him up into my lap, Kiki still jumping around like a little kitten. Pikachu watched the fireworks with me as they continued to dance through the sky, not relenting any of their spectacular beauty.

"Hey Ruby? You okay?" Ash asked as my friends all slowly approached. I could sense them coming this time. Ash, Gary, May, Max and Brock. They'd all come to offer their help, whatever it may be. Gary had Blastoise out and my old friend was blowing me some bubbles to cheer me up as he stomped on over then nuzzled my hair, making me giggle.

"Must be quite a shock, learning you're adopted that way." May said to me and I gave her a little smile.

"It's not that. It's just I'm worried that I've put my family in danger. And Sam…well I just don't know." _He's_ my real dad? I can hardly believe it's true, however now that I think of it, it's the only explanation. The reason I seemed to know him almost instantly, the way he always seemed so warm and comforting to me, and his eyes? Well the reason they felt familiar was because they were the exact same eyes that I had.

"Well, we're still here for you Ruby. We'll never change." Brock said to me. "We're all your friends here, so you can trust us." I gave him a smile of thanks.

"Yeah. Who needs grown ups anyway?" Gary agreed, walking over. "So come on Rubes. The celebrations are all still going. How about we go join in?" He suggested but I looked down to the beach with thought.

"No. I got a better idea." I said and Max lifted his head.

"Yeah? What is it?" In answer I ruffled his hair and gave him a wink.

"Last one to the beach owes everyone else ice cream!" I yelled then charged off, Pikachu on my shoulder as Ash suddenly laughed, charging after me.

"Hey no fair! You got a head start!" Then we were all laughing, running down the path and kicking off shoes, socks and outer garments as soon as we hit the beach, jumping into the water in our shorts and shirts, though the boys took there's off, and both May and I had smartly worn our suits underneath.

We splashed around in the surf, our Pokémon all joining in and Max had a blast riding on Blastoise's back. We pranced and fooled around in the surf, fireworks exploding up over our heads. Gary grabbed me around the middle as I tried to escape after I'd shoved him underwater, making me squeal with laughter as he lifted me up easily then caught my legs under the knees, preparing to drop me in but I clung onto him, laughing uncontrollably as I let the fun distract me.

Gary whirled around, holding me tight in his arms before stopping and going still a moment, looking at me. Water dripped from his hair and down his face, but also covered his entire body, which I only just realised was quite…well… _bare_. And _really_ starting to tone up. Wow, he's not the same spindly kid anymore that I once knew. "You're staring at me." I said to him quietly, looking straight into his eyes.

"You're staring at _me_." He argued so I smirked then shoved him away and showed him with salt water.

"Idiot."

"Loser."

"Jackass."

"Klutz!" Gary and I exchanged words with blows, splashing water at one another before the others joined in once more and laughter sung out over the bay, echoing far into the night and spiralled into a whisper until you were so far away, all you could hear was serene silence.


	54. Chapter 55

Back in Pallet Town with the Hoenn League having closed, I lay back on the hill with Kiki, Ash and Pikachu, gazing upwards at the sky as we both relaxed. Ash had done great, but once again hadn't quite been able to beat the other tough trainers out there, but that hadn't put him down, he was already preparing to go on another journey. The Battle Frontier called to him.

"Ash, I've decided to travel around Kanto again. I'm going to be focusing on my aura training." I said and he turned his head to look at me.

"Really? You won't come with us to do that?" He asked me and I shook my head.

"No. After what Sam said, and what Gary and I saw back at the dorms…I wouldn't want to put any of you in danger. So I'm taking my Pokémon and we're going to train hard until I can be sure that I'm able to protect myself, and all of you." I explained to him as Pikachu lifted his head.

"Pika?" He asked slowly and I giggled.

"Of course I'll be careful Pikachu. It takes more than a bunch of scary punks to take me down. Besides, I have Charizard with me all the time."

"It's just…won't you get lonely?" Ash asked me. "I mean, you've gone off on your own before, but this time it sounds like you won't be back for a very long time. What if you get hurt and there's no one there to help you?"

"I'll be fine Ash. There's nothing to be afraid of. I'll just travel, train, swap in and out of my Pokémon and soon, we'll be strong enough to handle anything." I told him, laying back down on the grass. "There's a lot of places I want to see again, and people I want to visit. The safari, Cinnabar Island, it's been a while. I'll be glad to see everyone again."

"Well, if that's what you want, then you should go for it Ruby. Don't let anybody stop you." Ash said determinedly clenching a fist as he lay back. "Just remember to keep in touch, okay?"

"You got it genius. Just try not to do anything _too_ stupid whilst you're off battling these brains, okay? I might not be there to whack some sense into. Right Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" He answered, turning over then jumped onto Ash's chest, facing me. "Pika, Pikachu Pi!" I smiled and reached out a hand, rubbing his cheek in his soft spot which made him squeal softly, smiling his cute little smile as Kiki yawned and stretched, rolling over in the sun.

I'd made my peace with my parents, telling them that I don't care what anyone says. That they had raised me and they are my mom and dad in my eyes. Sam had disappeared after I had ran away, however I could still feel him out there, watching over me.

Kiki was now a pet rather than a battling Pokémon. He preferred loving company and cuddles rather than any kind of training, so we kept him at home where mom spoiled him with marshmallows and I had to take him out on my morning runs just to keep him in shape.

Life was the same as ever in this beautiful home town of mine, where the sky was always blue, the town was always quiet but close, where you could look across a street and greet a friend and where the market was always warm with conversation.

And I was here with my best friend in the whole wide world, which made everything better. Looking to Ash beside me, I saw that he and Pikachu had dozed off, making me chuckle before I turned back to the sky and clouds, taking a deep breath.

Whatever was coming for me…I'm ready.

* * *

 **Thanks so much everyone! I decided that you'd all waited long enough for this story, so I went ahead and posted it all as quickly as I could. Let me know in the reviews or PM me with ideas for Ruby's next adventure or what kind of Pokemon you'd like her to catch, I'll see y'all soon!**


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